There's No Light Without Darkness
by xpoisonedxangelx
Summary: The Fang Gang is in the alleyway about to go up against horrible numbers, in hopes to save the world. Surprises inside. [PostNFA]
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer** - Joss Whedon is a god, and so it is written so it shall be, he owns all of this, except for Kaya and the idea that came forth from it. NFA was never truly finished, and allowed those like myself with too many "what if" thoughts. Kaya was a player character for the Roleplaying Game: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Eden Studios). Enjoy.

* * *

The horde of demons as growing bigger by the second, the rain continued to fall down upon four bone weary and tired warriors, one which would more than likely not survive five minutes in combat before dying.

"Wesley's dead. I'm feeling grief for him. I can't seem to control it. I wish to do more violence." The blue haired once God looked over to the others.

"Well love, wishes just happen to be horses t'day." The blonde haired Brit of a vampire seemed to give a faint smirk.

"Among other things." The broody wonder himself, known as Angel, Angelus, hell you could call him Frank at the moment and he may have answered, retorted.

"You take the thirty thousand on the left then." The wounded one, Charles Gunn spoke, holding his bleeding side.

"You're fading; you'll last ten minutes at best." The blue haired woman spoke once more, though there seemed to be no emotion in her voice.

"Then let's make it memorable." Gunn shrugged as he raised up his axe.

That's when there was the sound of a dragon like creature making a god awful noise in the distance where the hordes were growing even more so.

"So.. Peaches, any term of a plan?" Spike asked.

Angel shrugged, holding onto the handle of his sword. "We fight."

Spike rolled his eyes, and then took one more drag off of his Lucky Strike cigarette. "A bit more specific here y'poof."

That's when there was a gleam of almost childhood amusment coming to his eyes, as Angel shrugged sheepishly. "Well.. Personally.. I kinda wanna slay the dragon." He then raised his sword, giving a nod. "Let's get to work"

Spike gave a small nod, mumbling something from behind his Lucky Strike, before he threw it down on the ground. Glancing over towards Gunn for a moment, as the bald black man glanced towards the blue haired blue eyed woman, and then she glanced towards brood-master himself. All four intrepid heroes, two vampires with a soul, an Old god, and a bleeding mortal charged into the throng of countless minions of a hell dimension, without a single glint of fear in their eyes. Only knowing that they were the ones standing between them and the innocents they had fought so hard to protect, the innocents who did not know that evil had come to town.

--

_Four blocks from the Hyperion Alley_

The black SUV moved through the streets, speeding, playing a game of cat and mouse while it passed several cars that had drivers that didn't know that the end of the world could be happening at any given moment.

The vehicle was moving at an amazingly quick speed that would no doubt get the attention of the law enforcement soon if the driver wasn't careful, but it seemed that they were on their way to a fire that they couldn't wait to get to.

"I.. I don't know about this.. I.. I mean come on what could I help them with?" A plume of smoke escaped out the passenger side window as the passenger glanced over to the driver. The passenger was a pretty blonde thing, with a beautiful smile, and a few strands of red and black in her hair, she was wearing a ¾ length brown coat, and a pair of jeans, with a white shirt under the coat. A cloved cigarette held in between two silver ringed fingers.

The driver shrugged his shoulders, looking through the windshield as he drove. "Oh for the love of Liberace get your keester moving gramps!" The driver honked his loud horn. "Now for you sweetcheeks? Kinda simple don't you think? You're a Slayer, and they need all the help that they can get right about now, the worlds ending kiddo, and this is the thing you're meant to stop. Right Kaya?"

The blonde let out a soft sting of breath, and she gave a snort. Slayer.. those words were still rather fresh to her, then again everything that she had been through, everything was a new roller coaster from one day to the next. "Yea.. I guess your right. So what about you?"

"What about me darlin'.. That's simple and more to the point, Angelcakes needs me, and it's about time I actually started being the hero."

"Lorne, you –are- a hero, don't you know that by now?"

The green faced Pyleian looks over towards the young girl and gave a smile. "You're sweet kiddo." Lorne knew that he wasn't a hero, he was many things. A snazzy dresser, a great singer, and hell even a killer, but he wasn't a hero.

To that Kaya Jordan just gave a faint snort. She wasn't sweet, hadn't been for a while. For over three years she had been doing this, this.. fighting even before she supposedly was a Slayer, and for those three years she had built up walls around herself. She hadn't let anyone in, except maybe her one time mentor Charles Gunn, the man that had saved her the night that there had been an attack at the sorierty house that she was going to be pledging to, everyone had died BUT Kaya. For the first three months she blocked everyone out while she was in rehab for her bum knee, and then after that she finally pulled herself out of that misery, at least as far as anyone ever knew. But those nightmares still existed.

--

_Back behind the Hyperion Hotel_

The battle had continued on, vampire, reality spinning demons, and hell even a few things that they wouldn't be able to name without looking it up in some dusty book continued to come after them. As one demon fell three took its spot, crawling towards the would be heroes of the day.

Gunn was trying his best to stay on his feet; a large Minotaur like demon had grabbed hold of the axe as Gunn had swung it, and with one hand sent Gunn flying into the wall.

"Charlie Boy!" The cockney accent of the peroxide blonde was the last thing Charles Gunn had heard before he slipped into unconsciousness

Spike had seen Gunn go down, and he wasn't getting back up.

"All right you bloody ponces. That's it.. I have had.. " He drove a stake into a vampire's heart, having not yet shown his own game face. "Enough!" He then grabbed hold of a green one eyed demons head and just threw him into a small horde of what one could only call goblins, as he tried to make his way towards Gunn.

Angel, the ever brooding wonder seemed to not even be breaking a sweat at that moment while he was facing off a rather large (and foul smelling) bat winged demon, who almost resembled a shaved ape, it lunged towards him with it's large clawed hands screeching, Angel ducked, moving to the side to swipe at the soft underside belly of the hairless ape.

Angel gave an accomplished smirk, to perhaps try and savor that death, until he heard two mirror like screeches now coming from behind him. He didn't even turn around, he just shook his head and murmered to himself. "Great.. Just.. great."

Illyria, the would be god, seemed to be like a machine, taking down each and every monster that lunged her way. Until she heard a voice of one that sounded so familiar, but so.. not.

"Illyria, do you really think that you.. can beat.. us?" The voice was behind her.

Slowly she turned around, to find the eyes of a startling green colour, they almost glowed. A man, if you could call the seven and a half foot thing that was swathed in shadows. The man seemed to smirk though she could not see it.

"The well is deep, and yet you crawled out. I am impressed." Her tone was as flat as it normally was, no hint of emotion coming from her.

"Pity, that we're not so impressed with.. You and your friends have become a rather big annoyance in the plans, and we can't have that."

As the two beings from The Well were speaking, the war continued on around them, but for this moment it didn't seem to matter to either of them. Illyria was angered, to the extent that those alien blue eyes seemed to just be staring at the man-being in front of her.

"Plans, we do not go by plans, we make our own destiny." With that she tried to thrust the sword she was carrying into the man. He caught it with her hand, and shoved her backwards.

"And I make my own destiny this night."

--

_The war continued to wage on, it seemed hopeless for the Champions of Earth. The two vampires that were en-souled seemed to continually bat down the enemies, but more were continuing in their place. At the far end of the alley, there seemed to be a worm hole of some sort, just looming in the air, wreathed with chaotic and unnatural swirling green flames, a portal that allowed more demons to pass through._

_The Senior Partners were making sure that there was nothing to stand in their way of the coming Apocalypse, and they would make sure the Champions fell one by one. As a large Gorlack demon (A veritable 8 foot tall being that was covered in dark fur, with a face that was akin to a dog, though more monstrous with ten inch long razor like knives for claws.) came chasing down the alleyway upon the unsuspecting blonde vampire, and the human known as Gunn, the Senior Partners watched from a crystal, all giving a nod of approval. _

_However the Senior Partners as mighty as they were, were never all knowing. _

--

"Charlie, y'okay mate?" Spike asked, as he helped the bleeding man up.

"Y'know.. A brother can never get a break, if it's not some evil chick trying to get into my pants, it's you saving my ass."

Spike gave a laugh, which was quickly drowned out by the sound of a charging beast, coming straight for them. Spike spun around, holding onto one of his absconded swords. "Holy Shit.. What …"

"Is that?" Gunn finished for him, as he gave a grunt, the thing that was charging down was plowing through it's own allies, the demons getting squished and pulverized under it's large mass.

"Whatever it is.. Looks mean."

"Yup.. Looks really pissed off."

"I call dibs!" With that, Spike goes racing down the alleyway to meet the monster, only to go flying through the air over Gunn and landing in a pile of trash and a few dead bodies.

Gunn began to limp towards the Gorlack demon. "All right, you want some of this! You want some of this, you wanna be Big Foot, but couldn't get the job so now you're all pissed off and crying in the unemployment line.. I've worn furcoats that looked better than.." As Gunn got there, the Gorlack demon stopped, and stared down at him with sickly yellow eyes. "…You." Gunn swallowed hard… Breathing heavily.

The Gorlack beast took in a deep rumbling breath, that didn't sound too healthy at all.

"Gunn watch out!" Angel yelled loudly, trying to warn his friend.

The Gorlack raised it's arm, to swipe at the human.

Gunn winced, but held his ground, and holding his favorite axe.

As the Gorlack moved to bring his arm down, Gunn had the axe raised up to impale upon it's chest, even if it meant his death, but that's when the Gorlack blinked and just went still.

After a minute, slowly it's head was removed from it's shoulders, and it toppled over to the side.

Standing behind the now lifeless future rug for the living room, was the blonde girl known as Kaya, holding a longsword, that was now glistening with blood, giving a faint smile. Gunn's eyes went wide. Before he could say anything a small imp like beast with wings and hooves came running towards the newest combatant, who was quickly met with a crossbow bolt between the eyes, coming from on high.

Kaya looked up, giving a nod, then looking at Gunn.

"Don't look like you've seen a ghost, can't have a party without me Gunn."

"Kaya.. You.. how?"

"Less talking, more fighting, go check on your friend." With that.. Kaya went running into the frey to dispatch a small group of demons as they were getting close to the now unconscious Spike.

Gunn shook his head, but then remembering the bolt, he began to look up at the rooftops, he saw a shadowy figure moving to hide behind a billboard sign, but at that moment he had bigger concerns, if someone wanted to help, more power to them, he began to limp towards Spike.

--

_The Senior Partners were not expecting two more combatants in the fight for good vs. evil, in fact this blonde girl had not been known to them at all. Somehow she had come, and she was a Slayer, something that could turn the tides of war in the favor of good. _

_To the side beside the crystal, there was an hour glass, that was slowly running out of sand. As one of the Senior partners looked to the hour glass, one boned hand goes slamming down close to the crystal, a howl emitting from them. _

--

Illyria had taken the fight with the one from the Well upon herself, and kept trying to charge him, but he was as powerful as she was and it was becoming a stalemate. Every time she tried to land a thrust with her sword, it was blocked by one of the powerful arms. Every time she attempted to deliver a blow with her hand it was quickly dodged.

"Don't you see Illyria, it is pointless, you cannot beat me. You should have stayed in the Well, you would have been safer there." For a moment, it almost sounded like compassion or caring coming from the man-being, but only for a moment, before he shoved her back against the wall once more as she tried to attack him.

Not even out of breath, all though sweating, Illyria looked at him. "You make me sick, you allow yourself to be controlled by a lesser being." She spit in his face, a custom that was not familiar with her, but remembered it within the memories of Winifred Burkle, the woman whom she had possessed.

He raised a hand up, and rubbed the spit in. "At least I am not a lesser being like you." The voice filled with frustration and absolute anger, as he grabbed hold of the woman's hair and threw her in the opposite wall, and charged after her.

Angel thrust an elbow into the snout of a puke green coloured demon before delivering swift upthrust of his sword into the mid-section of another. He was circled, and he knew it. Two vampires were in the mix as well, with their "game faces" on, as one of them tried to dive towards him, he exploded into a fine cloud of dust in mid-air, Angel raised his head to find out where the helping hand had come from, but found nothing.

"This is just getting a bit too much." He muttered under his breath, as he then made slow yet thorough work of the demons around him.

There was a small lull of the demons, they seemed to be re-grouping. He could not find Illyria anywhere, but his eyes fell upon a blonde (that wasn't Spike) decapitating another vampire (who.. thankfully wasn't Spike). Arching an eyebrow, he noticed then Gunn and a blonde (who was Spike) and he moved over towards them.

"Who's the girl?" Angel ran a hand down his tattered trench coat, before he took it off, thinking to himself how he had just got it.

"That.. would be.. A uh.. well.. Slayer." Gunn said, holding his split open stomach, leaning against the building, finally feeling the pain overrun him once more.

"Bloody 'ell, a Slayer? Damn and here I thought all those went to Europe or whatever with Buffy. Along with the Bloody Immortal." Spike said sourly, slowly pulling himself up to his feet.

"Guess no one sent her the memo." Angel said softly as he watched the girl duck under the swing of a pig faced demon, only to use her momentum to throw him over her shoulder, she spun around and impaled her sword into it's chest, before pulling it out, and thrusting it backwards, behind her to meet another demon in the belly with it's sharp tip.

"She's been doing this for a while now, dunno when she became a Slayer but.. She's one of my old homegirls from back in the day when I wasn't hanging with vampires." Gunn replied. "Maybe she's always been but.. I don't think so." His face was turning more ashen.

"Charlie boy, why don't you go and find some place to sit, and rest up.. and not get hurt." Spike said, in a worried tone.

"Man, and what type of bunk ass shit is that? Me not fight, pft." He said trying to not show his pain.

"Gunn, Spikes right.. Did I just.. yea the worlds coming to an end."

Before Spike could tell Angel to sod off, the sound of something almost like a very loud whistle came hurtling towards them.

"DUCK!" Spike yelled, as they all went jumping off to the sides, as a large fireball landed against the brick wall they were leaning against.

As Angel slowly stood up, he looked towards where the fireball had come from, only to find a woman who looked un-unnervingly like Eve standing there, holding another flaming ball in her hand.

"You killed Lindsey!" With that, the fireball went flying towards the souled vampire, and he jumped out of it's way once more.

--

The demons had re-grouped and were beginning to not fight with the Champions, but against themselves. They were demons from all over the different planes of existence; of course the Senior Partners could never have realized that their vast differences could have turned to be one of their largest weaknesses.

While the demons fought against one another, the Champions had another problem on their hands, Eve, and Illyria was no where to be found.

Of course the blonde known as Kaya had dived into the fighting hordes of demons, easier to take them out when they weren't gunning for her. Moving in and out of the frey, hitting one in the back of the head, and moving so it would attack the demon that would have lunged for her, using a divide and conquer tactic that was working for the most part.

Angel looked up towards the woman who was scorned. Muttering under his breath, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Shaking his head, as he watched the woman on top of a fire escape, he sighed silently.

"What does she mean y'killed Lindsey?" Spike asked as he moved next to his grandsire.

"He was going to turn on us Spike, I had to do it." More like, had Lorne do it. Of course the souled vampire was feeling remorse and guilt for that one. Lindsey had wanted in, he believed he had changed, but Angel knew otherwise.

Spike seemed to weigh it for all of a second, before he turned his head, looking at Angel. "Never imagined you t'be a killer. But if he was gonna turn on us.. Well no one doesn't like a non teamplayer these days it seems. But I think the little bit up there is rather angry and lookin' to toast your … "

Before Spike could finish, a flash of green could be seen, stepping out from behind the billboard right across from Eve. Lorne, the Pyleian demon, the Host.

"Sorry to break it to you muffin, but Angelcakes didn't kill your precious loverboy, that was.. me." He looked a little hesitant as he said those words, and turned a deeper shade of green, if it was possible for the melodious demon.

The empty soulless eyes of Eve turned towards the demon, as did Gunn's, Spikes, and Angel's. Angel took in a deep, un-needed breath as he winced some. This wasn't going to turn out so well for his friend, the one he thought he'd never see again.

_The Senior Partners watched from their plantar as they saw the image of their enhanced warrior be faced with the fact that the one that they had pitted her, it against was not the face of her wrath. It seemed that there was no way around this, time was not on their side and apparently neither was fate. _

_The grains of sand continued to slowly flitter through the glass tubing, very few remained, time was being cut shorter and shorter, and there was no answer in sight, no answer the Senior Partners liked at least. _

_The hooded beings all knew at once the only answer that was left for them at this moment, absolute removal of their beings from this plane, and go into hiding; planning another battle that would finally conquer the world known as earth, for themselves, for the demons of the dark._

_Within seconds, the beings began to de-materialize into nothing._

The portal where the demons were spilling out of just moments ago, snapped shut, leaving those who had come through, no way of escaping and no means for backup. Kaya stared for a moment where they had been, to get walloped in the side of the head with a meaty club, as she got thrown into the wall she had just been staring at, the droves of demons that were still left, began to circle around her.

--

As Illyria was being choked by the Being from the Well, she tried to kick at him, to get him away, unable to breath nor speak at that moment. His sickeningly green eyes turning to the side for a moment, before he let her go.

"Remember this Illyria, and remember it well, and remember the name you try to grasp for. It is Azaziel." With that, he took one step backwards, and disappeared.

Illyria slumped down, holding her throat and gasping for breath as she stared in that direction.. and hissed softly, as a memory surfaced. While she was a god, a goddess, a queen.. Azaziel had been a god, a king, her king, her lover.

--

"You.. You.. You!" Eve yelled a few times, but she couldn't get passed the first word, either through fury, anger, or absolute homicidal lust.. Or so the others thought, before she fell onto her knees, and let out an ear splitting cry of pain, and then just fell back, passed out.

Lorne moved to climb down from the fire escape.

Spike looked up for a minute, before looking around, and scratched the back of his head. "Uhm.. fellas I hate to break it to you but I honestly don't think something is right 'ere now. I mean, look, the fireball is out cold, the portal closed and.. well .. "

"They have retreated." A hoarse voice came from the right of the group, Illyria rubbing her throat. "They have retreated like the vermin they are." Seemingly now more angry than she was at the thought of Wesley's death.

"Good t'see you're all right Blue." Spike spoke, turning his head to look at Gunn. "But Charlie needs a hospital, and I don't know where his slayer went."

"Illyria, take Gunn inside the Hyperion, there's a first aide kit in the office. Use it. Clean his wounds and we'll be there soon." Angel said, looking to the Power that Was.

Illyria gave a sniff of defiance, before moving over towards Gunn, picking him up and moving down the alleyway, Gunn would have argued if he had still been awake.

As Lorne made his way down, he looked towards Angel and Spike a moment, before speaking, "Don't think because I came here, and brought Kaya, that I'm sticking around Angel cakes."

Angel shook his head, giving a faint smile. "Wouldn't dream of it Lorne."

With that the two vampires and the green skinned songbird moved down the alleyway towards where the demon horde had grouped, and (or so they thought) licking their wounds. The two vampires were no worse for wear, sure their trench coats were a little bit on the holey side, and had a fair bit of blood and grime on them, but they were hardly wounded. Lorne was wearing of course his bright blue Armani suit, of course not good for killing, but in one hand he held a cross bow, and on his back a quiver of bolts, ready to do damage from very far away so he doesn't ruin his Italian loafers, after all you can –never- get hell beast blood out of fine Italian leather.

"So where do you think the Slayer went?" Spike asked, as he reached inside his pocket to pull out his cigarettes, only for his hand to shove right through the rather large hole. "Oh bloody hell."

"Well, knowing Kaya, she may have gone through the portal." Lorne replied.

"Wait how do you know this Kaya?" Angel turned, looking to the Pylian.

Lorne shrugged his shoulders just a little bit, and gave a faint if not tense smile. "She came into Caritas a few times, we kept in touch after the bar blew up the last time, and been chums ever since." He too had paused to look at Angel. "I knew you would need the help, and I knew that you couldn't do it alone. After I.." He paused, then shook his head. "I called her, and went on my way to pick her up.. She was already on her way, even though she hadn't realized it. I just helped get her here. She's a sweet girl, Angelcakes."

Angel gave a small nod, and sighed. "What we need, another sweet girl getting hurt." For a moment, thinking about Fred, and winced.

"She's a slayer, she's bloody strong, and she can handle this." Spike said, a few feet from them. "So shall we continue on with the killing of these demons so we can go back and have a nip of blood and lick our own wounds and mourn for our friends?"

"I'll just stand back here then." Lorne replied, giving a faint squeamish look.

"Right then. What about you y'ponce?" Spike asks, looking to Angel, who was already stalking towards the grouping, but not because of Spike's inspiring words, but due to the fact that he smelled human blood, and it was fresh. "Well okay."

Angel was first to reach the small horde, who were fighting with one another to try and get something that was in the middle of the medium sized group. A Gibraltor demon (A 5 foot demon with a wing span that was twice it's body size, covered in an almost stone like carapace, spun around as it sensed something coming up behind them, and screeched loudly in Angel's face.

Angel smirked, his face turning into the hideous mask of the demon that still housed in part of his body, and gave a yell back. The Demon screeched again, while Spike looked to his grandsire, wondering if he went daft. Angel shrugged at his grandchilde, before he punched the demon in the face, and regretting it a moment later as a shooting pain went through his entire hand.

"Son of a!" Holding his hand, he stared at the Gibraltor demon for a good long moment, before he then kicked up his foot as hard as he could right behind the beasts legs, it let out a high pitched squeal of sorts, it's meaty massive hands moving to it's groin, and falling to his knees.

Angel looked for a moment, amazed that it actually worked.

"Remind me.. not t'scream in your face in the near future Peaches." Spike muttered as he moved in, throwing a few already well beaten demons out of the way, he could see strands of what appeared to be gold on the concrete. "Ah.. crap."

A vampire looked up to the three heroes that had come to the Slayer's rescue, his lips coloured with crimson, his "game face" on, and a growl coming from him, those eerie yellow eyes just staring at the turncoats. That blood, was human blood, and with one guess both vampires knew who's it was.

"Take care of herself he says." Spike muttered once more, as he grabbed hold of the collar of the vampires shirt, and threw him up against a wall, and then charged after him, pulling out a stake that he had been able to hold onto all through out the battle.

As Lorne had seen yet another one of his friends get hurt, he shook his head for a moment. It was time to stop just sitting idly by, sure he wasn't some Stallone or some Arnie, but he could still fight, or die trying.

He put another bolt into the crossbow, and began to make his way in while Spike and Angel's hands were full at the moment, and sighed faintly, before he raised the crossbow, and took a shot at a demon, right through the eye.

Kaya was trying to fight off the vampires that had attacked en masse but finding it difficult, she was becoming sluggish due to the loss of blood. She brought back her fist, punching one of the vampires straight in it's face, with enough strength that the sickening crunch was heard. "I am not a damn Capri-Sun!" She sent her foot out, kicking another, but it was in vain, terribly in vain, as the world began to spin out of control, she was trying to get loose, but it seemed that it was not working. Soon another vampire had set it's fangs deep into her, and with the blissful bite, Kaya passed out.

Angel and Spike had both heard that outburst coming from the Slayer, but they saw no more movement, heard no more struggle underneath the dog pile, and this sent them into over-drive. They began to kill anything that resembled a demon or otherwise, trying to get to the girl that had put her life on the line to save their lives, and had indeed saved Gunn's life.

Lorne was being no slouch either, he continued to fight from behind the lines, taking shots here and there with his cross bow, it was the only thing he –could- do, he would not touch the gun that he had used to kill Lindsey, in fact that weapon was long gone, away on the ride to pick up Kaya. He was indeed no Stallone, no Arnie, but he was fighting for his friends. Realizing, that they were indeed his friends no matter how bitter the taste of death was in his mouth.

After several long minutes of battle, there were only a few vampires left, the demons had scattered, their own urge for survival now spurning them onwards. The handful of demons were also now making a tactical retreat, minus for the one that was supping slowly upon the fallen Slayer, their blood so strong, that it was addicting. Spike growled, as did Angel in unison as they reached down to rip the vampire from the Slayer, and they threw him against a wall, the heedy blood taking it's toll on the beast, as it laid there dazed. Lorne began to slowly stalk towards the gorged vampire.

"Blood 'ell is she breathin'?" Spike crouched down in front of Kaya, looking at her for a moment.

"She's breathing, I don't smell death on her.. At.. least not her own" Angel replied a touch sheepishly as he too crouched down at her side.

They both still wore their "game faces" as they stayed there crouched, looking over the fallen Slayer. She laid there pristine, it was almost like she was Sleeping Beauty waiting for someone to give her a kiss to wake her up. In the distance the sound of a 'twang' echoes through the now quiet air, as Lorne kills the vampire who had dared hurt his friend.

"We should get her inside." Angel said, Spike nodding and reaching down to pick her up.

Kaya's eyes flew open and that's when Spike was met with a fist to the face, and a sword to Angels throat. "Don't fucking come near me you fucking soul suckers." Her teeth clenched in pain, not realizing exactly who these two were. Not at this moment at least, the pain was far too great.

"Uh.. rioght, anyone ever tell you luv, y'not meant to 'urt the blokes trying to get you outta 'ere?" Spike said, holding his face. "Damn you 'it 'ard."

The pain causing her to not register who was speaking to her. She was hurting far too bad, her knee was screaming as it had been dislocated, and she drug herself up to a sitting position.. looking to them both, breathing heavily. If she was truly seeing them that is another question.

"Kaya.. it's okay.. we're friends.." Angel's hand moving to touch the blade.

Slowly realization began to settle in.. as she dropped the sword, and finally allowed herself to show the pain that she was trying to mask. It seemed her entire body trembled with fatigue as she closed her eyes and coughed deeply, it sounded like something rattled, perhaps even broken ribs. "Gu.. Gunn?" She was able to wheeze out while she held herself.

"Alive he's getting' patched up." Spike answered as he lowered his hand, his face slightly bloody due to her hit.

Lorne slowly came walking up to the trio, and he crouched down, looking to Kaya with concern on his features, before looking back to Angel and Spike. "We should try and move the little love fest on inside though for the time being. It's getting to be light out."

As the two vampires heard these words.. They knew that the fulfillment of the Shanshu prophecy did not come true. Spike moved, picking up Kaya without little worry.. as Angel moved to gather up Eve, he couldn't' just leave her there.

Lorne watched as these two en-souled vampires made their ways along, with their hearts heavy and shoulders slumped. He frowned, knowing that he was not the only one that had lost something tonight. "Every time a bell rings, an Angel gets it's wings. How I wish I had two bells right now." He whispered to himself, as he moved to follow slowly behind.


	2. Chapter 2

_See Disclaimer in Chapter one. _

_Enjoy._

* * *

The first rays of dawn light filtered in through the front doors of the Hyperion hotel. The Champions of Good were licking their wounds but the night had been theirs, almost. Everyone had survived the attack against the The Circle of Black Thorns, almost. They were heroes.. Almost.

"I can't b'lieve y'sent Lorne in there and 'ad 'im kill Lindsey. What in the world were you thinking!" Spike hissed at his grandsire, from across the room, in the office, the once office where they had tried to pour over a many case. Spike having calmed down from the fight, and now able to think coherently, as coherently as Spike can think that is.

Angel's eyes slowly raised from the glass that held booze, he thought it was a scotch, or a cheap knock off, it just helped numb the pain. Not the physical, but the emotional he was feeling. He could say nothing as his eyes slowly lowered once more into the amber coloured liquid.

Spike stared at Angel for a long moment, in frustration he threw his hands up in the air and stalked out, the door being left wide open, a few moments later he let out a loud yell. "The next time that bloody wanker tells us the plan, he better tell us the WHOLE bloody plan!"

Angel closed his eyes tightly, wincing as every single word hit inside somewhere deeply. He finished the rest of his drink, and settled back, letting out a soft sigh.

--

_Upstairs in hotel room 243_

_--_

The bedroom was dark, cool, and the sound of heavy breathing could be heard. The sound of a groan out of either pain or exertion breaks the almost silence. The light flickering on as Gunn fell onto his back and stared at the ceiling.

It took several moments of realization that he had survived the previous night, and even several more moments to realize that he was not alone in bed. Forcing one eye open, moving his head down even an inch which caused pain, he looked down to see Kaya laying there, beside him, though not asleep. She too was staring up at the ceiling.

"Kaya..? What.. what are you doing here?" He asked, as his eyes closed once more.

"You remember when you told me we made a difference? That without us that the vampires would be running around and creating chaos? .. Shit Gunn.. You may have been right, but now what?" She whispered softly. Trying to find answers where only more and more questions seemed to crop up.

"Heal up, keep on moving.. Find out how screwed.. we are.. and find me some pain meds. I feel like hell."

"If it's any consolation, you look like it too."

"I love you too Kaya, can't even catch a break while I'm dying."

"Oh you're so not dying!" She poked him in the side.

The only sound he could give was a whimper.

"Oops.. sorry Gunn."

--

_Somewhere much further than the Hyperion_

--

_The room was purely white, faint whisps of smoke seeming to seep out and into every single pore, a gentle light seeming to surround all over. No noise, no smells, nothing. It was almost drab, but at the same time could fill someone with an absolute wonderment._

"What are you doing here?" The sound of a male voice, lightly kissed with an English accent, could be heard from behind him.

"…You have got to be kidding me." Lindsey Donaldson, the man who had been killed by the gentle peace loving green demon slowly turns around, looking upon Wesley Price. "This is hell." He muttered.

Wesley was sitting down on what one could assume to be the ground, looking up at Lindsey for a long moment. At least in this world, they were both intact without any sort of holes in them. He shook his head a moment. "I wish I could say it was. I believe this is some form of.. gateway into heaven, or a higher plane, just the only question remains is what in the bloody hell are you doing here?" He was getting snippy. He had so many plans, but those would never be seen. Now he could only hope to see his Fred one more time.

"Lorne shot me.." It still tasted so bitter coming out of his mouth. "Killed by the flunky." Shaking his head, he sat down as well.

Wesley looked towards Lindsey a moment with a faintly stunned look. "Lorne.. shot.. you? .. Now that's something I didn't plan on, and apparently neither did you."

Lindsey gave him a perfect 'D'uh' look before he shook his head, looking around for a moment, before looking back at Wesley. "Sometimes it's hard for a tiger to change his stripes." Is the only thing he could say. He never saw his death like this, or how he would die, or that he'd end up on the gateways to heaven. Maybe Angel had been right, he would have turned against them. He couldn't tell the future.

After a pregnant moment of silence, he turned to look back at Wesley. "Do you know how it turned out down there?" He almost was hoping that they had made it, that Eve had made it. Some sick twisted part of his heart would have liked to have seen Angel survive.

Wesley shook his head a little bit. "I have no idea what happened down there."

"Well I do." A voice was heard coming off to the side.

Both men turned around.

--

_At the Hyperion Hotel_

_--_

"So you went, killed Lindsey, go to get a Slayer then show back up behind the hotel.. To help out? .. Why?" Spike asked Lorne, as he smoked a Lucky Strike.

"Why? Because I may just be a flunky, Spikey-poo, but I figured my friends may need me." But the guilt was seen written all over his face, even as Lorne spoke, he tried to hide it. "Oh come on, stop giving me that look. Fine I'm not happy with what I did! I took a man's life. But if I had to do it all over again, maybe I would. If it meant saving your hides, I.. would do it again." He said in a softer tone, even then doubting his own words.

Spike frowned for a moment. Shaking his head for a long moment, before finally speaking, "You know mate, you're a good man, demon.. thing. Just remember that."

Lorne's eyes slowly raising up towards Spike's, who just shook his head once more and began to walk out. Lorne watched for a moment. "Spike, so are you." The demon's words spoken quietly, he was unsure if the vampire had heard them.

However, Spike did hear them. He stopped dead in his tracks, before he turned his head looking at Lorne. The faintest smirk appeared, though his eyes seemed filled with sadness. "Sure mate, sure." He turned, and continued to walk away, heading towards one of the many floors where he could perhaps find a spot of sleep, or some place where he could be alone with his thoughts.

--

_Room 243_

_--_

The room was still dark; Gunn couldn't see his own hand in front of him as his eyes opened. He could still feel the weight of Kaya beside him. His brown eyes slowly moved to the side, to look at her.

She was still awake, though didn't seem to notice that he was also. He had remembered the night he had saved her, a scared shitless freshman in college. At a sorority party that had turned into an all you can eat buffet for a small nest of vampires. A nest of vampires that Gunn and his boys had been hunting for a while, and unfortunately they had gotten there too late to save anyone but this scared, white bread girl, who shrieked when he picked her up. That could have been possibly due to the injured knee, however; he knew she was scared.

What was a guy like Gunn meant to do? He took her in after she got out of the hospital, her family disowning her, considering her crazy, though he had his suspicions it was because she had dropped out of school. She went from being this scared girl to a sister of his.

He quietly wondered why he lost touch with her. It had been a hard time in his life, his sister had been killed, he had met Angel; and he had lost touch with the one girl who seemed to need him even more. He had missed her becoming a Slayer, and apparently had missed so much. He sighed, his eyes closing.

"You do know that staring is not only rude, but annoying?" Kaya asked quietly. It sounded as if she had been crying.

Gunn rolled his eyes, sighing once more, before speaking. "Yes Kaya, I know that. I didn't want to disturb your thoughts though."

"Thoughts, nothing going on in my mind except wondering how this could have been different, is it true you were working for Wolfram and Hart?"

Gunn sighed softly, he gave a small nod of his head. "Yea, but promise me, Kaya.. You won't kick my ass until after I heal?"

Smirking, she turned her head to look at Gunn. "Okay.. but I'll have to kick your ass twice as hard."

"Gee.. thanks.. You always give me the warm and fuzzies you know that?"

"Better than frigid I guess."

A laugh for a moment, before it turns into a groan. "Ugh woman don't do that."

--

_Spiritual Plane_

_--_

"So.. let me get this right.. They made it.. all of them made it?" Lindsey seemed faintly baffled.

"That's right hand boy, and well it seems as if they're going to need a little bit more help. I got my second chance and well Pinocchio got his strings back." The beautiful woman known as Cordelia Chase looked to Wesley and Lindsey both.

Wesley shook his head. He refused to believe that he was being cheated once more of the only thing he wanted. Peace, peace and Winifred Burkle. "Impossible." He sighed softly, raking a hand through his hair.

"Wes, sorry to break it to you. But you should know by now the Powers that Be, always make the impossible possible."

Lindsey smirked, shrugging. "So does this mean if Angel kills me again, I get sent back here?"

Cordelia seemed to stare at him for a moment, then shaking her head. "That's just it Lindsey, you die, you don't come back here. Consider this as -your- chance of redemption, kind of like those old eighties movies about guys being reborn into chi.. anyways. It doesn't matter, this is it.. For both of you, otherwise it's the big fiery pit where you more than likely would get to see old colleagues and girlfriends alike. Not a pretty place I've heard."

Wesley arched an eyebrow. "Wait, you mean I would go to hell too?" He tried to think of all the good he had done, all of the times he had tried to save the lives of others, to aid Angel.

Cordelia gave a small nod of her head. "Unfortunately, there seems to be the smallest discrepancy about when you're a Watcher and a Rogue Slayer ends up killing innocents, apparently you're the one who is guilty. Odd how that works, I never understood it myself. But well there you go. And Lindsey we won't even talk as to why -you'd- be going there, I think we already know why. "

Lindsey smirked some, nodding his head.

"So this is it guys, this is your chance at redemption. Unfortunately, we all know how hard this is going to be, so it's been decided that as long as you wear these amulets." She held up two silver chains that had faint glowing rocks in a pendant. "You'll have a little bit of extra strength and speed. Use them wisely."

Wesley took his own, a disparaging look upon his face. He didn't want to go back to earth, he wanted to have peace.

"Oh Wes don't look so glum, it's trendy jewelry, and will go great with those pants you love to wear." Cordelia, smiled to him; touching his arm softly.

Lindsey took his rolling his eyes. "Right, trendy. When do we go?"

Cordelia glanced towards Lindsey her lips pursing a moment, before her thin eyebrows raised. "Now."

With that the two men vanished within the mists.

Cordelia shook her head a moment with a faint sigh, her eyes lifting upwards. "Those two are going to need a lot of help."

--

_Outside the Hyperion Hotel_

_--_

Lorne was sitting outside, the sound of helicopters rampaged over head, it seemed as if LA never slowed down, not even after the end of the world had almost happened, again. He sighed, taking a sip off of a seabreeze, heavy on the alcohol.

It seemed as if things were just so broken at that moment, including his spirits. The two vampires were once more at each other's throats even if proverbially, the slayer was now wondering why she was brought into this mess, and to top it off Illyria was having issues that she would not speak of. At least Charles survived, that was one of the only good things that he could see within that moment.

He looked down to his hands, hands that he had scrubbed so many times, the green skin was slightly pink (if that was possible) due to the tragedy he had put them through. Lorne felt dirty, and he knew that there was no amount of soap that could remove the stains on his soul.

"This is insane, do you know that? Honestly. What do we do go knock on the door and go 'Hey, you killed me and he died trying to save your sorry hides, but guess what we're back?"

The voice made Lorne drop his glass, it shattered into a million pieces.

"Something like that, yes."

And that voice made him bolt upright, as he turned to see Lindsey and Wesley both walking up the pathway to the Hyperion. Both whole, not a single scratch on them.

A single whisper escaping his shocked face, "Sweet Liza Minelli."

Wesley looked up at Lorne pausing in his steps. "Hello Lorne."

"What's the matter Lorne, see a ghost?" Lindsey said with sarcasm dripping.

That's when the world turned dark for Lorne, as he fainted in his penny loafers.

--

_Inside the Hyperion Hotel_

_--_

Lorne woke up curled up on one of the circular couches that littered the lobby of the Hyperion. He could smell the alcohol that had spilled on him, his eyes closing once more. "It was all just an alcohol induced dream." He whispered to himself.

Lindsey and Wesley who were leaning against the counter, glancing around at the hotel that hadn't been in use since the Angel team had ended up at Wolfram and Hart looked to one another. Lindsey nodded his head towards Lorne, very gently. Wesley blinked and shrugged his shoulders. Lindsey then nudged him in the side and nodded with more vehemence. "Go.. go talk to him." He hissed, trying to whisper.

"Why? He'll faint again." Wesley seemed perplexed at this notion.

"Go, you know him."

"But he shot you."

"Exactly."

Wesley rolled his eyes. He slowly moved away from the counter and moved to look over at Lorne, who appeared to have fallen asleep again. Wesley turned his head, shrugging at Lindsey.

That's when the soprano octave scream happened, echoed throughout the entire hotel disturbing everyone who had bedded down for the day.

Lorne's mouth finally shut, as he tried to get up, his silk pants working against him this one time, as he found it almost impossible. "But you you.. you.. you."

"Died, we know." Volunteering the end of the sentence for Lorne, Wesley helped him up. "Though, that's changed." Lorne now standing up, touching Wesley for a moment; his face, his shoulders, back to his face, Lorne was in shock.

"Either that or a damn good cosmetic surgeon in the afterlife." He murmured, then shaking his head."

Lindsey shook his head some, propping an elbow up on the counter, as he began to count down how long it took people to get to the lobby. "One Mississippi… Two Mississippi… Three Miss –."

Spike and Kaya came flying down the stairs, Spike un-armed however Kaya carrying a crossbow. Both looking in various states of disarray and trying to find out where that scream came from.

Kaya, having not known either man didn't seem to worried about that, however the crossbow did raise up. "Lorne, you okay?" She asked, as the steely look was in her eyes, as if she would kill them both without a second glance.

"Sure sweetcheeks, peachy. For two guys coming back from the…"

Once again someone was interrupted, but this time by Spike. "Dead. You two were dead!" He couldn't believe it, shock was not the word for it. Absolutely blown away would be more apt for this vampire with a soul.

Lindsey shrugged his shoulders, his eyes on Kaya though, curiously.

"Apparently, they're not." Lorne spoke softly while Wesley stood there quietly now.

Kaya didn't drop the bow. "Just say the word Lorne, and I'll put an arrow through their heart."

"She'll do it too, she's got a nasty streak for beating up people." Spike said, trying to use his normal humor to brush aside the fact he was still stunned.

Wesley looked over to Kaya now, more closely. "Who is she?" He asked to anyone in the room.

"Kaya, she's .. a slayer." Lorne offered, still finding this absolutely ludicrous.

"A slayer? I thought they were all in."

"Don't say it, don't you bloody say it!" Spike looked to Wesley.

"She can also speak for herself you know." Kaya added, keeping the crossbow up however.

"Touche, however sweetie it's okay. Put the crossbow down." Lorne motioned with his hands, still unsure of what was going on.

Slowly she lowered the crossbow, and began to walk down the steps, nudging Spike to come along with her. She still was wearing the clothes she had on during the battle last night, gore was still smeared across her pale features. "Come on Spike, sit down have a smoke and try not to look so pale, you could pass off for a vam.. Nevermind."

Spike gave her a look, narrowing his eyes faintly, however the tension seemed to move faintly from his body.

"Can someone tell me exactly why someone was…" The words going dead on his lips, as Angel came walking through the door from his office.. Staring at Wesley and Lindsey.

"Hey, you had me killed and he died trying to save your sorry hides, but guess what we're back." Lindsey said to Angel, giving the vampire who he had hated for so long a faint smirk. It seemed like a perfect irony that this vampire was now going to be his redemption.

Angel stared, first at Lindsey, then to Wesley for a long moment. His jaw dropping just a little bit, before he shook his head, his mouth shutting then re-opening as if trying to find his words to speak once more, another shake of his head. It almost looked like Angel was attempting to do a Robert DeNiro act.

The minutes seemed to drag on in stunned silence. The slayer known as Kaya was rubbing at her eyes, seemingly trying to push sleep from them, while Spike just walked around the two, checking them out. The tension in the room was mounting, so thick someone could cut it with a knife. Lorne was glancing nervously towards Lindsey every now and then while Angel remained right outside his office.

Finally the silence broke.

"So you.. mean to tell me, you two came back from the dead?" Kaya asked, trying to figure out the history between these two men with the others in the room. A new player to a very long and interesting game, she didn't have all the facts.

"It appears as if we have been set upon the task of helping you. To gain our way into heaven, we have been given another chance at mortality." Wes spoke, as he sat down. His eyes looked over to the slayer a moment. "What are you doing here?" He asked, figuring he may as well speak to the only person who was talking.

Shrugging her shoulders, she glanced around for a moment before speaking. "Lorne brought me, figured help would be needed." She pulled out her cigarettes, lighting up a clove as she then stretched out her left knee, the one that had been injured so long ago. Her face grimaced, she needed her brace but she didn't have it with her.

"You're hurt." He spoke walking over towards her, to look at the wound, finding it odd that the Slayer hadn't healed any from last nights warfare.

"Old wound, it acts up every now and then.. Thanks for the concern though." Looking up to him, as she exhaled the smoke through her nose, her tough girl attitude faintly showing through once more, her eyes glancing to Lindsey then to Wesley. She felt faintly uncomfortable with the simple fact she had no idea what was going on, though it didn't seem that not many in the room did.

"So the powers brought y'both back. Now ain't that somethin'. Charlie boy is gonna find this interesting I think." Spike said from around his Lucky Strike.

"Gunn? Is he okay?" Wesley asked, turning his attention onto the bleach blonde vampire.

"Almost didn't make it, but he's doing all right." Glancing to Kaya to confirm, seeing the small nod of her head, he nodded. "Doing all right."

Angel finally shook his head. "So what's the catch? You two come down to make nice and then kill us when you let you in with open arms?" His sarcasm and disbelief showing themselves bald faced.

Lindsey gave a faint smirk. "You'd like that wouldn't you? To get another chance to kill me, but it's not going to happen Angel. We were sent here to help you out. And well we got to see your little sweetheart Cordelia." He sneered, his anger coming to full force.

Angel took two steps towards Lindsey. "I don't believe you." His voice strained through clenched teeth. "I don't believe they would bring you back."

"Then what about me Angel?" Wes asked quietly. "Do you trust me?"

Angel's eyes then looked towards Wes, his mouth gaping open once more.

--

_On the Higher Plane_

_--_

"Okay, Okay I was wrong.. They ALL need help. Specially that Kaya girl, coloured hairstreaks went out like last year."


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer in chapter one._

_Enjoy chapter 3_

* * *

The blue haired power that was, sat by the fountain in the courtyard of the Hyperion, looking into the murky pools of water, the faint reflection showing her for the truly interesting being she was... In a human shell, that is. Slowly another reflection showed itself to her.

A single whisper escaping her blue lips. "Wesley."

--

_Twenty Minutes Prior_

--

"Do you trust me?" He insisted as he looked at Angel, repeating his question. His angry brown eyes staring at Angel for a long moment, pent up anger and frustration just seemed to reverberate from his corneas. Whispering the question now, "Do you trust me Angel?"

It seemed as if time had stood still within that moment.

"Of course I trust you Wes." Angel said it, and the voice sounded sincere, though there was a thought in the back of his mind. Wondering if this truly was not a set up, he was paranoid, wary. After all they had indeed foiled a plot for world domination last night.

"You just don't trust me. Course then again how can you trust the guy you had killed?" Lindsey sniped before snorting. Moving to sit down on a bench, sighing softly shaking his head. Lindsey for a moment felt a pang, a stab in his now beating heart; he wanted to be as accepted as Wesley. However, this was something he knew would never happen.

Lorne frowned. If his guilt hadn't been horrible before, it had multiplied within moments of seeing Lindsey once more. He had agonized over killing him just the night prior, but there he sat, brought back from the head, and now Lorne had a living ghost to haunt him.

Angel shook his head some, as he threw up his hands. "Fine, fine you're right Lindsey I don't trust you. Can't trust you, you have lied to almost all of us, used all of us, and then wanted to fight against the Black Thorn? What type of bullshit is that? Do you honestly think that I could actually accept that you turned good? That you actually had one small iota of decency left within you?" His voice had risen, echoing through the large foyer.

All eyes were on him and Lindsey then, those who breathed held their breath. Kaya watching as a spectator on the wings, she didn't understand the history that any of these people had. She hadn't been privy to any stories other than for the fact that a vampire had taken over Wolfram and Hart, a vampire with a soul. Other than for that, she knew not a shred of information. Lost as she felt, she couldn't just turn away from this.

"Yea, well you know what Angel? Maybe you're right. Maybe you're right that deep down inside I'm still as rotten as the day you met me. But you know what? You're no better. You are no better!" Lindsey's own voice rising now as he stood up, "You had a man kill me that had never shed a drop of blood before, he was your PR agent for chrissakes! And you still had him do it, because you were too chicken... Too chicken to do it yourself and you give some half assed reason. Admit it Angel, it scared you to think that someone like me could actually change."

Once more the silence had become deafening in the foyer, once again people were blinking, stunned at the outburst.

Angel moved slowly and with purpose towards Lindsey. "Well you know what lawyer boy, maybe you're right. Maybe I thought that if you had truly changed, then so did we all, and in ways that damned us. Apparently, I was right. We're both still vampires, we're still here trying to fight a good fight, and now so are you. I don't trust you Lindsey, it's because of you we got stuck in this situation, because of you we were even brought in this mess, and because you were screwing with things you shouldn't have. So tell me why I should give you another chance."

"Y'poof, you've had chances, hell I've had chances, why not? If the bloody powers told them to 'elp then 'ell let 'em 'elp." Spike spoke up, sometimes insight while was a good thing, it always seemed so odd coming from Spike.

Kaya slowly stood up; with a faint limp she began to move over towards the desk, then behind it. She tilted her head faintly before looking to the rest of them who were now watching her. Shrugging her shoulders. "Don't look at me; this is your own little soap opera."

Lorne frowned and shook his head a little bit. "You need to give them this chance Angel cakes, you know that."

Angel scowled, and turned moving back to the office slamming the door shut.

"That... was a temper tantrum... right?" Kaya pointed to the door, arching an eyebrow.

--

_Hyperion Courtyard_

--

"You live." Illyria turned to look at Wesley with a look of extreme surprise. Her hand coming out, faintly shaking to touch him, "You are whole."

Wesley stood for a moment, watching her in silence; she still had so many resemblances that reminded him painful of Fred. He felt his heart clench in silent pain and his eyes well up with tears. "I am." The only words he could dare to say without breaking down. He longed to touch her, to even pretend for a moment, for her to lie to him again that she was his Fred.

They stood in silence for a very long moment, staring at one another in absolute shock perhaps. A cool wind blew over both of them, as she reached out to touch him, making contact with his chest. His eyes closing at the contact, after a short moment that seemed like a life time, they found each other's arms.

--

_Hyperion Foyer_

--

Kaya had found a bottle of water, and was taking a drink and now sitting on the steps by the entrance of the hotel. The three males that were still in the foyer continued to sit in silence. She watched each one quietly. It was interesting to read their body language, they were open books.

Spike's shoulders were slumped, and he continued to watch the space in front of him, namely the floor. His entire demeanor was indeed different from what she had expected. When Eric told her of William the Bloody or Spike as he was known now, he had said he was a horrible man, a horrible monster who also wrote horrible poetry. That he had a thirst for life (oh the pun), as well as becoming en-souled to be with a Slayer, a slayer that had the largest history she had ever heard of. It was believed that Spike had died during the evacuation of Sunnydale, she was curious as how he came to LA, but now it didn't seem as if it mattered to ask. He had lost something, she could see it in his eyes, see it in his mannerisms. She didn't know what it was, but she was bound and determined to find out.

Her eyes slowly gazing over towards Lorne, the demon she had known for so long. Caritas had become a home for her almost, the only place oddly that she had felt safe. A neutral ground for demons to meet, to sing, to have a drink, it was safe for her there because she didn't have to do her job. He had always been the joy-filled trendy demon who enjoyed a good drink, and a good Frank Sinatra song, but his spirit was shattered. She had seen it in his eyes last night when he picked her up, he had attributed it to the fight in the alleyway when she asked him. However, when she had heard the story this morning, she knew exactly why he was the way he was. He took a life, he went against his own rules, and in doing so, lost a part of him, but it was only something he could come to grips with. Perhaps with Lindsey back from the dead it would become easier for him. Or perhaps even more difficult.

Eyes slowly meeting up with Lindsey, who seemed to look, like a caged animal. He was sitting down, away from the other two, watching one and then the other, then the office door. A nervous twitch of his knee bouncing gently, as if he was an addict that needed a fix soon, or perhaps someone who was facing the firing squad; she couldn't be sure. She had only heard this morning so many things, but it didn't seem to make sense in her mind. Would the powers allow someone so... treacherous another chance? To be able to redeem themselves, and guarantee their ticket to heaven? Kaya wasn't entirely sure that's how it was done. Her eyebrows furrowed, but she could tell that he was uncomfortable there, with them. Then again who would be comfortable in the foyer that belonged to a man that wanted you dead, in the foyer with a man that had killed you? Kaya sighed gently, as she shook her head a little bit, she felt sorry for the guy.

Taking another drink of her water, she wiped her lips with her finger. "Wow now isn't this fun, if I wanted quiet I'd go up and watch Gunn sleep, oh wait he snores." She tried to crack a joke, which only got a faint smile from Lorne.

Shaking her head, standing up, she shrugged her shoulders. "Okay so let me get this straight right quick."

She had their attention now, as slowly their eyes fell upon her.

"You killed him, because Angel was afraid he was going to kill all of you. Okay I can see that, it happens, granted it sucks… But you were looking out for your friends, can't blame a guy for doing that. So stop crying in your seabreeze or worse yet... Stop crying on your silk, it'll stain." She had pointed to Lorne, then to Lindsey when she referred to him.

Lindsey was about to argue, but her hand came up to shush him, her finger dropping from Lorne and stayed on Lindsey. "And you double crossed Angel and his crew more than once, and then when you got out of hell from what I'm hearing, you expected them to let you in with open arms. Retarded." Only word she could say, shrugging her shoulders while Lindsey looked indignant. "What? Can't handle the truth? Seriously man, if I were you, I'd be happy it was Lorne killing me and not that freaky blue haired chick, but you got a chance now, and instead of trying to make amends somehow you're sitting here and… moping." Shaking her head, she shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe you shouldn't."

Her hand moving from him to Spike. "Ah and now William the Bloody, Willy, Billy Boy… Spike." Shrugging her shoulders, Spike just blinking as she did that. "Now, you're a vampire, with a soul. One could call you pussy whipped, you got a soul for a chick, virtuous but, come on, that's like getting a tattoo with your first lays name on it. It's a sweet notion, but now it just seems to be biting you on your ass. You're stuck with it, so what are you going to do? Go play Vampire Lestat, cry about how unfair it is and become this rocking musician with your angst as your fuel... Some may like that but uuh... I'm not an Ann Rice fan. So…What are you going to do about it, be a nancy boy poof or suck it up?"

Now that she had every single eye on her, and each eye slightly pissed off at her that is, she sat back down. Giving a faint grin. "Well you don't all look like someone killed your puppy… You can thank me later."

Spike gave a faint snort and a bemused half grin on his lips. "'ey Lorne… Can we keep 'er?"

That caused not only the green demon to chuckle, but also Lindsey.

--

_Angel's Office_

--

He watched the prone figure of Eve on the couch. He sighed softly as he propped a foot up, she hadn't woken up after her little fireball experience last night. She of course breathed but that was the extent of her existence. He feared that the mystical forces that had been imbued within her had now taken away her life forces when they were extinguished.

Taking a sip of the scotch in front of him, it burned his throat as he swallowed. He still couldn't believe that Wesley and Lindsey had both been brought back, had both been killed and brought back; to help him and the others. It seemed as if the Powers knew something more than he did, then again they always did. He sighed softly. He couldn't trust Lindsey, it felt wrong.

He heard laughter coming from the foyer, arching an eyebrow he stood up and looked through the blinds, seeing the slayer and the other three joking around. A frown coming to his lips, he couldn't understand it. Any of it, it didn't make any sense to him. A slayer arriving from god knows where to help out, because of Lorne. Lorne the guy that swore he'd never come back, that he was done, out, gone. And then… all of the rest? He sighed softly, letting the blind fall as he moved to sit back down at his desk.

He opened up the drawer, and pulled out a picture, it was of Angel, Cordelia and Connor. Sighing softly, leaning back and putting his foot back up on the desk. Staring until his vision went blurry; he let the picture fall onto the desk. He had so many wishes, dreams. Being human, able to walk out into the sun, able to kiss, to make love, to eat food. But… it didn't happen, he didn't have his human life back, he did not reach Shanshu, he was still a vampire, a damned vampire.

Whispering softly to him self, "What else do you want from me?"

--

_Foyer of the Hyperion_

--

"So do we get to hear y'story of some brave and daring slayer bit, li'l one?" Spike asked Kaya, having shorn off his gray mood.

Kaya arched an eyebrow, thinking a moment before she limped to sit down closer to the others now, shrugging a shoulder. "Well…" She paused for a moment then got a sheepish grin. "I've never slept with a vampire, like some slayers who shall remain nameless." Smirking at him, while the others laughed she shrugged her shoulders. "There really isn't that much to tell, I've never had some big bad to go up against, unless you count last night. I've fought vampires before, a few zombies, and an old lady who everyone thought sold Avon, but she actually was stealing souls." Shaking her head, she licked her lips before continuing speaking. "Dusting vampires isn't exactly something that's new to me. I got hurt a few years ago, at a party for college, we were attacked by a big group of vampires, and I'm the only one that lived. Gunn saved me, and I started hunting vampires with him once I stopped being a pissy bitch and realized that sitting in a hospital room is not how I wanted to live my life."

Her audience was enraptured it seemed.

"So I started hunting with Gunn, and then we lost touch and he ended up hanging out with Angel and the rest of you guys, and one night I got contacted by a Watcher named Eric Carrington came to me, told me what I was. I guess I was some left over by product of Slayers all over the world being awakened. I don't know, never understood that however. There I am, able to throw a trash dumpster and shrug off a bullet almost and I'm wondering exactly what in the fuck I can do to help save the world."

A faint smirk coming to her lips as she glanced to the others for a long moment, each one perhaps thinking of the same question that they themselves had posed to themselves before, each one seeming to have a far off gaze for a moment; before realizing that Kaya had fallen quiet.

"So what happened?" Lindsey asked quietly.

Shrugging her shoulders, she finished off her water. "I couldn't ignore it, no matter how much I wanted to. I couldn't just not do what I was destined to do, that'd be like spitting in the face of my parents, even if that is tempting at times. So what did I do? I lived, I still live, I live as a slayer, and I live as Kaya. It's not exactly easy and it's a bitch on dating but I'm still here, and do what I have to do. When Lorne picked me up last night, I was asking what I could do to help, even asked him. It's a big fucking burden on the shoulders of anyone, but when I showed up it was natural to do what I did. Each one of you has an interlocked destiny, so... Now the question has to be, what happens for you guys?"

They each fell quiet, one marveling at her wisdom, another marveling at her life story and the other was marveling at her cleavage. Leave it to Spike to not get the moral of the story, even if he actually did.

--

_Courtyard of the Hyperion_

--

"So why is it that you have returned?" Illyria asked quietly, as they sat on the edge of the fountain.

Wes' eyebrow rose faintly, before answering truthfully. "Apparently, this is my chance from making sure I do not end up in hell."

Illyria shook her head, speaking softly. "But you were an honorable man, and did not deserve hell."

"That's not what the Powers believe, however and here I am." Cheated out of the afterlife with Fred, being so close to Illyria was making this become painfully clear now that he was indeed in a hell all of his own, except here he was living and breathing.

For the first time, there was emotion on her face; the only other time had been when Wes had died. A frown coming to her lips, as she thought of all that had happened she spoke quietly. "This is not like the Well; you would be celebrated as a warrior, a hero."

Wesley snorted at this, and spoke softly. "Illyria we are not in the Well, the rules always change where we are concerned."

Illyria was quiet then, thinking of what Wesley had said, and of the man she had seen last night. No, not a man; but a demon king, a power that was, that still seemed to be. Azaziel. Where there was warmth, life, and anguish in Wesley's eyes; there was cruelty, coldness, and death in Azaziel's. Where she could hear torment in Wesley's voice, all she heard last night was the sneering gratification in Azaziel's. It felt as if one side of her longed for Azaziel's cold grip once more, whilst another side only wished to remain by Wesley's side. A war of emotions waging against one another causing her to tense, it felt almost as if she was losing control as she had so long before.

"Conflict." A single word coming forth from her lips, causing her to blink out of her reverie, however Wesley did not seem to notice that she had even been dazed, not listening to what he was saying.

"Indeed, there is always conflict where the Powers that Be are concerned." Clueless to the inner turmoil most indeed that roiled through the woman/goddess that sat beside him; Wesley was only to at that moment think of the peace that had been stolen from him.

The word for the day when it came to this conversation in the courtyard, the only word that fit…

--

_On the Higher Plane_

--

"Clueless! Absolutely clueless, I swear they need to go to the K-Mart god forbid and buy one." Cordelia threw her hands up in the air while she watched was happening on earth.

"Y'know, it's so cute the way you get all flustered." The voice of a male, Irish to be exact spoke behind her.

"Oh Doyle, shut up." Turning around and looking at the man standing there, with a smirk on his face. "It's not like you have a clue either. At least you didn't when you were alive."

"Oh now I take extreme resentment to that remark. I had quite a few clues thank you very much and and … Okay I got nothing." The Irishman gave a faint smile. "Why do you torture yourself by watching them anyways Cordy?"

A sigh, a faint shrug of her shoulders, "Because unfortunately we don't get the Oxygen channel up here. Why do you think I'm watching! They are our friends you know."

"Friends who need to figure it out for themselves sweet pea, otherwise we're all going to be knackered."

"I know Doyle, I just… "

"Like to meddle, I know."

"Oh... shut up!"

"Oh testy."

"I wonder if they've realized…"

"No and you can't hit them in the head with it either Cordy, you promised."

"I know."

--

_Angel's Office in the Hyperion_

--

The phone rang. Angel was stricken from his wild thoughts, daydreams of being in the sun, and eating ice cream. Blinking a few times, his head raised up, before reaching over for the cell phone that had amazingly survived last nights warfare.

"Hello?" He asked quietly, wondering who it could be. Of course it wouldn't be Harmony, more than likely on some remote beach somewhere drinking blood Mai Tai's.

"Dad? It's me." Connor's voice was able to be heard over the static of the cell phone.

"Connor, how… how are you?" Angel's eyes immediately looking over to the picture that he had been staring at for so long, it seemed almost like yesterday.

"Fine dad, I'm okay. I wanted to make sure you were all right, that everyone was all right." While he had been one hell of a kid, pain in the ass, demon spawn (literally), and had put everyone through hell; Connor had turned into a find upstanding young adult, even if most people didn't remember him being Angel's son.

"We're fine, Connor. We all made it." Even Wesley… Now at least.

"Dad, you don't sound fine, what is it? What's happened?" His tone imploring, pleading to perhaps help somehow, the man had walked into his life with a cup of coffee and then this.

"Connor… Now is not a really good time, maybe come by the hotel later on and we'll talk." _That sounded like fatherly advice, didn't it? He at least hoped it did. _

"Sure dad, I'll do that." The sound of a click disconnecting the call was heard, and the line went dead. Angel sighed softly.

"Sure."

--

_Foyer_

--

"You know, I hate to break it to you chickadee but I don't think that demon blood is in this year for fashion trends." Lorne teased Kaya who was sitting on one of the small couches. "I mean, some guys may find it attractive, however it's starting to get a little… Ripe in here." Lorne said in his oh so serious yet not so serious manner that had won him so many fans through out the years, in Caritas and then later in the PR department.

"Well unless you want me wandering around buck naked, this is all I have to wear." Kaya looked up to him, giving a faint smirk in return to his words.

"I'm all for the naked bit." Spike quickly interjecting, however his up-beat attitude and wit were too overcompensated coming off horridly false.

Lindsey rolled his eyes. "I'm sure there's something you could put on. Lorne's right, you do look like you just went through a train wreck."

Lorne blinked a few times, casting a wary glance towards Spike, then to Lindsey. Startled by the fact that Lindsey had agreed with him or the fact that he wouldn't make a snide comment about the state of disarray that Kaya was in at the moment, indeed the look on Lorne's face was a look of surprise. His moving to open, he had to tense his jaw muscles so his mouth didn't gape.

"Lorne, Angel tried to kill me a lot of times, I still… talked to him, and okay I was plotting against him too. I wish I could say I forgive you, but let's just say instead, I understand." Lindsey's light southern accent could be heard, he decided to stop fighting his true self; what was the point now after all? He couldn't fake his way into heaven.

The Anagogic demon looked as if he had just seen Elvis Presley himself walk out and ask for a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich. He then gave a faint if not uncertain smile and a small nod of his head.

"However, the slayer here still needs a bath and clothes." Lindsey said as he glanced to Kaya, arching an eyebrow.

"Fine, fine I get it I get it. Bath time, I swear if I didn't know better I'd think I was twelve." Standing up, Kaya made her way towards the stairs and began to walk up them slowly, the limp more evident as time went by.

Lorne watched her as she made her way up the steps slowly, as did the other two men in the foyer. As she slowly disappeared, the green demon frowned faintly, and murmured. "She's stubborn."

"She's a bloody slayer, course she's gonna be stubborn." Spike said, sitting back in his chair.

"From what I've heard she's always been this way, only got worse after the attack at that sorority house though."

Lindsey furrowed his eyebrows as he was listening to them talk. He slowly raised his head, turning to look at Lorne a moment. "How… Long was this again?"

"Three years, she was the only survivor; it made news headlines for a day or two, especially after they caught the supposed killer. If I remember correctly, he ended up dying in prison. Or was that jail? I can never keep track anymore."

Lindsey swallowed, giving a small nod of his head. "Oh, I think I remember hearing something about that." As it slowly fell into place in his mind, he knew exactly why he remembered hearing something about that.

--

_Higher Plane_

--

"And finally we have someone with a clue!" Cordelia squealed in glee.

"What? What'd'ya say I think somethin' just made my eardrum pop." Doyle said, sticking a finger in his ear and wiggling it gently, before getting nudged in the ribs.

"Hah hah hah funny." Cordelia rolled her eyes, looking back to the image in front of her. "This could be a good thing… Or a really bad thing, I'm not too sure yet."

"Meddle, that's all you do, oh and buy shoes."

"Oh you are so not one to talk… Your idea of a good night included drinking Guinness until you couldn't see straight."

"But I am an Irishman."

"And I'm a girl from California it all balances out."

"Good point."

--

_Courtyard in the Hyperion_

--

"What is it you must do before you will find peace?" Illyria asked.

Wesley and she had been sitting in somewhat comfortable silence for a few long minutes, before she had spoken. Being torn out of his reverie of thoughts, he blinked, glancing over towards her. "That is what I am unsure of. It seems as if something is going to happen and you all will need the help of Lindsey and me." Which still confused poor Wes, after all Lindsey had always been a bitter rival, enemy of the Angel Investigations team, now sent back to earth to help them.

"This distresses me." Being blunt about how she was feeling, the faint furrow of eyebrows seen.

Wesley turned to look at Illyria, for the first time perhaps he could see her own distress, now that she had mentioned it. However he did not believe that it was due to the return of his self onto this world. He watched her for a moment, and could almost see the pent up anger and frustration whirling inside of her. He could recall when she was like this after she had first taken over Fred's body. Then, like now she seemed more like a caged beast than a one time goddess. Her body was rigid. "What is it that distresses you?"

Illyria slowly turned to look at Wesley a moment. The first time ever, she thought of withholding something for fear of upsetting another, a shake of her head, looking back out over the courtyard. "The fact that you are such a good soul yet must come back here. It is disturbing that they can be so heartless."

"Yes, well this is not the first time I was cheated." The words slipping forth before he could even think about retracting them, he began to feel uncomfortable. He had not meant to ever say something like that. She had known his frustrations, his anger, and his absolute disgust already once. But, it does not seem as if she had the same coldness within her. "I did not – "

"Yes you did, however it is all right Wesley. You still mourn for her, as I had mourned for you when you died."

With those words being spoken, silence was there once more between the two.

* * *

_Author Note: Someone mentioned explaining as to why Fred's soul isn't destroyed. Now we'll be getting to that. Slowly but surely, we'll be getting to that._


	4. Chapter 4

_See Disclaimer, first chapter, enjoy._

--

_Higher Plane_

--

"Go fish." Doyle shrugged his shoulders at Cordelia as she rolled her eyes. "What! You asked what we could do. I mean I have a deck of cards."

"I meant about them, they're so not ready for this. They're not even healed up." Cordelia's hand gesticulating towards the image of the various occupants of the Hyperion, "I know, I know. It's against the rules. No meddling is meant to be allowed. It's not fair though Doyle, they're going to be blind sided."

Doyle raised his eyes upwards, thinking for a moment. "Dammit Cordy, you always do this. It's not fair I tell you." A faint whine in his tone as he glanced around for a moment in the whiteness of the area they were in. "Maybe… Maybe we can do something, but I don't know what."

"We have to figure something out."

"I know we do, otherwise you'll never let me hear the end of it."

--

_Room 276 of the Hyperion_

--

Kaya was in the middle of getting ready to take her shower. She had been able to find a pair of pants and a shirt that she presumed to be Angel's. They were all black, and fit the dour vampire to a tee. As she took off her clothes, she sighed softly, feeling at a great loss, more so than usual.

She had lost contact with Eric two nights prior, when she had gone to his bookstore, it was closed, and no signs of him. She had tried contacting him last night, but to still no avail. He had always told her that the Watcher's key goal was to always look over his Slayer, and it was a charge that he had taken sometimes with absolute zeal.

Stripping off her shirt, she felt the weight of the world as if it were bearing down on her shoulders, letting the shirt fall to the floor in the bathroom; she leaned against the sink, staring at the white tile on the floor.

Gunn was injured, more than likely would be out of commission for a while, and it seemed as if there was a whole soap opera brewing downstairs that she didn't want to have any part of. If anyone didn't fit in, it would be her.

All these people had so much history together, most of it intense. It had to be with someone like Angel and Spike around. She had heard of Wesley Wyndam Price as well, a watcher who then went and became a rogue demon slayer after being kicked out of the Watcher's council, along with Rupert Giles. To spice it up, there was Lorne, he seemed like the kind soul of the entire crew, and however she had also heard stories of Cordelia Chase, the seer that had been the link to the Powers that Be. But she had passed away not too long ago; it seemed that this group was mired in loss in one way or another. Fred, she had heard that name a few times when there was talk about Wolfram and Hart. Fred was still technically around, at least in the bodily sense, Illyria had taken over her body somehow, she wasn't exactly too sure.

Kaya didn't have the entire story, and in turn she felt lost. Where did this Lindsey guy truly fit in? She had no clue on that one. Hadn't really heard anything about him until he mysteriously showed up today, stating he came back for redemption. What a way to have to earn a ride to heaven.

After Kaya slowly stripped out of her clothes, she stepped into the shower and, turned on the water. Hoping perhaps that the water will ease her tension, her worry, and clean away all the self doubts that she had floating through her mind; hoping to ease the pain that was coursing through her body.

As the steam built up in the bathroom, Kaya's eyes closed, and she slowly tried to make her body relax.

--

_Foyer_

--

Spike was on his sixth cigarette in less than half an hour, as the silence had become once more evident without the Slayer's bubbly personality to instigate conversation. He hadn't expected to survive the final battle last night, and if he did… Well Spike expected to be a real living boy at that moment, but it seemed that wasn't in the cards for him, or Angel (though that'd piss him right off). It seemed that they would never have their chance at a normal life.

"Bloody 'ell." He muttered under his breath, as the grey blue plume of smoke seemed to billow around him.

"What's the matter blondie?" Lorne asked, being stirred once more from his own thoughts, however he had been taking Kaya's advice and trying not to allow himself to feel too guilty about killing Lindsey anymore, though unfortunately it wasn't working.

"It seems like all o'this.. All o'it was f'nothin'!" He exclaimed, standing up and began to pace. "We won th' night didn't we?" Glancing over towards Lorne, pleadingly. "Didn't we?"

Lorne was at a loss for words, he had no sage advice to give, no beautiful musical anecdote.

"No, Spike, you didn't." Lindsey replied, something finally dawning on him. "If you had, we wouldn't need to be here. Maybe this wasn't the prophecy for the Shanshu, it's not like sage scholars haven't been wrong in the past. If I was some evil force, I'd use this as a way to dishearten you guys and make it to where you would be weak for the true fight."

"You were an evil force though." Spike spun around, looking at Lindsey, then shrugging. "Then again so was I."

"So if this was the warm up act for the main attraction, what do we do?" Lorne asked, more to himself than anyone else.

"Get ready for the big hoorarah." Spike said with a shrug. He had never been a leader before, always a follower. It just seemed that this time, the fearless leader was having yet another debilitating angst fit, and wasn't gonna come out of it anytime soon.

"You never asked about Eve." Lorne spoke quietly, glancing towards Lindsey a moment.

Lindsey arched an eyebrow, looking back towards Lorne. "…Eve? She she should be some place safe." For a moment, he felt his heart clench.

"Sorry t'break it to you mate, but your squeeze actually got nabbed by the Senior Partners, and became a li'l fireball. She's camped out on Angel's couch, like Snow White waiting for her prince to come and plant th' big kiss 'er and wake 'er up." Spike glanced over towards Lindsey. Leave it to Spike to be absolutely blunt.

The news seemed to make Lindsey crumble just faintly, as he licked his lips and swallowed. "I… I told her to go some place safe, dammit!" He sighed, getting onto his own feet, looking as if the world was crumbling around him once more.

"She'll … I don't know, I wish I could say she'll be fine." Lorne tried to re-assure the man that he had just killed the night previous. "But… I can't."

Lindsey's eyes had fallen upon the office door; he began to walk over there. No words, no motions could get him to stop, though both other men had tried to do just that. He had to see her.

His hand turned the knob, flinging the door open.

Spike and Lorne shared a look before both stood up, and meandered _slowly_ towards the door as if to not appear to be eaves dropping, which they were.

Angel stood up quickly, moving from behind the desk to face off with Lindsey. "What do you want? Come to gloat?" Angel sounded apathetic, tired, without his normal rancor or fire.

Lindsey said nothing as his eyes fell upon the too quiet Eve. He began to move towards her, Angel took a step towards him, though stopped as he heard the words, "Take one step towards me and I'll gladly go to hell after sending you there." The words were flat, calm, and he knew the lawyer boy meant them.

He crouched down beside Eve, he held his composure for a moment, before it crumbled down, his bottom lip and chin trembling as his hand reached out, taking hold of hers and just held onto it. His head bowing as tears began to roll down his cheeks. He had said nothing, absolutely nothing. Her skin felt so warm under his touch, though she didn't stir as a tear drop fell onto her flesh…

"Wake up." He whispered to her, pleadingly. "Please wake up."

His free hand coming out and stroking her hair gently, as if trying to soothe her back into wakefulness, reminded horribly of the past… His past, where he found his mother dead in her bed on a cold winter's morning… It was almost like deja vu for him, it left him with a cold feeling slowly growing into his stomach.

"Eve, wake up." The voice getting louder, as if this would stir her back to him. "God dammit wake up!"

Angel watched on, perhaps shocked at this so human of a display of affection. He had never known Lindsey to care about much, sure there was a few times he seemed to have gotten on the right track… But he always seemed to fall back into the clutches of Wolfram and Hart. As Lindsey began to shake her, Angel realized he had to do something, before there was irreparable damage done to the girl. He walked up behind Lindsey, and after a long moment of his hand just suspended in air; he set it down on his shoulder… It felt so odd, comforting him.

"Lindsey, what she needs right now is to rest, it's the only thing that can bring her through." And quietly adding to himself, _if anything can_.

Lindsey fought the urge to shrug off the hand on his shoulder, fought the urge to spin around and yell at the vampire's face. His eyes lowered, closing them as he took in a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. Eve didn't deserve this, it was his fault, it was his entire fault. She'd be alive today if she had never met him, she would be able to walk freely if he had never gotten her into his nefarious schemes, but now, there she was laid as silent as death on Angel's couch.

Whispering ever so quietly, "Do you think she'll make it Angel?" As if he had to try and find validation anywhere, and that included one of his most bitter of enemies.

"If she's meant to she will." That was the only answer Angel could honestly give. He had lived in belief of prophecies and fates before, what would change this now? He still had to validate his good and righteous heroic ways somehow.

A snort, the only reply he got as Lindsey stood up, and began to walk out of the door. "I need some air." And with that Lindsey McDonald walked out of the Hyperion Hotel, silently with tears burning in his eyes.

"That… could have gone better." Spike sighed out before moving to sit back down in his chair as he lit up a seventh cigarette.

The brooding vampire known as Angel shook his head a little bit, glancing towards Lorne for a moment. Lorne just have a faint wince of a look, before his eyes fell upon Eve, feeling Angel brush up against him as the en-souled vampire left.

--

_Room 243_

--

The room was still dark and cool, and the labored breaths of the sleeping Gunn echoed against the walls as Kaya opened up the door, slowly stepping in and shutting the door behind her. Her eyes landing upon Gunn's prone form laying there in restful sleep, something the body needed to heal up. A faint smile coming to her lips as she watched him for a moment; however she knew that she had to do this, she had come here for a purpose, there wasn't much time.

Her steps slowly took her to the bed, and she moved to sit on the edge of it, not to disturb him. As he moved just faintly, she covered him up, and sighed softly. Her hand coming out gently, and stroked his head as her eyes closed, head bowing faintly.

"Ka… Kaya?" Gunn's hoarse voice whispered out.

"Didn't mean to wake you yet." Whispering softly in return, as her head turned to look at him.

His eyes closed though a smile was on his lips. "You should know you can't sneak up on a black man, we don't wanna loose our sneaks."

Smirking faintly, she sighed, though didn't say anything.

"Hey… what is it?" Gunn slowly sat up a little bit with a groan. "Kaya, are you okay?"

She shook her head a little bit. "I… I should go Gunn, seriously. Everything is all right, and you guys have a lot of well… issues to deal with."

"Don't I know it. But Kaya, you can't go girl. I thought we were going to stick through this and all."

"I can't, Gunn I should go. Really, there's a lot I need to do. Find Eric and - - "

Getting cutoff by Gunn, "Eric, who's Eric?" The sound of perhaps jealousy or protection in his voice.

"Eric's my Watcher; I can't get in touch with him."

"Oh.. Riiight, Watcher, I got you, but it's not safe out there for you."

The look on Kaya's face just screamed how much of a 'du'h' statement that was for him to make, as she then shook her head. "Gunn… I should go. It's not like I'm going to another country, I just have some things I have to do… I… I just wanted to say goodbye."

Gunn was quiet for a moment, and then a confused look comes over him. "What in the world are you wearing! It's like you raided Angel's personal closet."

Rolling her eyes, "I did."

"Oh… Right… You'll… Come back, right?"

"Yea, I'll be back. I didn't save your ass for no reason."

"Hey! My ass didn't need to be saved, he was falling right into my trap."

"Mmmhmmm, sure." Leaning over she kissed his forehead. "Get healed up, I owe you a game of basketball still." Standing up, she slowly made her way towards the door.

"Take care girl."

"You too."

--

_Foyer_

--

With subtle footwork down the stairs of the Hyperion, Kaya made her way, running a hand through her wet hair as she moved, a sigh escaping lips, lost in her own thoughts. She would have to try where Eric lived, and the bookstore other than for that she had no idea where she could possibly look for an errant Watcher.

"Hey li'l one you seem to be looking a lot better." Spike's voice slowly brought her out of her thoughts as she hit the landing.

"Yea, feel a lot better too. I'll see you later Spike." Her head turning to look at him, also noticing Angel leaning against the lobby desk; who seemed to give a surprised look by her statement of departure as he looked on to the Slayer.

"Later? Are you going somewhere?" Spike asked, standing up; looking almost as if someone had told him Bowie's hair wasn't actually blonde.

Giving a small nod of her head, Kaya reluctantly answered. "Yea, I need to go. There's some things I have to take care of now."

"Sweetums have you even slept yet?" Lorne asked, coming out from Angel's office. "You should rest before you go and try and save the world some more."

"He's right, plus it'd just be good for you to stick around. Who knows what's left after that portal last night." A meager attempt at leadership delivered by the brooding vampire himself, he sighed softly. "Besides, it'd be a good idea to rest before you left."

The three men somehow almost forming a perfect line of worriers over the Slayer's safety, each of their faces etched in concern and stress, tiredness. Looking on her as if she had all the answers, or perhaps giving themselves false hope that she would save them all somehow, perhaps with a snap of her fingers.

"I have some people to find, you have your own things you need to work out. Honestly, I came here to help, and I did. So now I say asta luego and that I'll come to check on Gunn later." Beginning to head towards the door, she glanced over her shoulder. "And I have to find clothes that actually fit me." And then she was gone.

Angel gave a faint if not sheepish smile for a moment. "She does look good in my clothes."

Spike's hand connected with Angel's side. "She just can't go like that, can she?"

"I think she just did." Lorne replied with a faint frown. "She's a good kid, but she's right. We have a lot of questions that need answers, and a lawyer who needs to be found."

"Spike, Lorne's right. Besides she'll be back later, that's my favorite black shirt she has on."

--

_Neighborhood Outside of the Hyperion_

--

The street traffic for LA was never a beautiful thing, gridlock, smog, road rage, however the street traffic this day did not seem to be as lively as it usually was. A few buses were seen, and the cars that would take their passengers to work, exercise classes, spa appointments, however it did not seem to hold the same hustle and bustle as it usually did.

Kaya Jordan slowly walked down the sidewalk; lighting up a cigarette without little trouble, there was hardly a breeze around, nothing to push the clinging humidity that she could already feel building around her. As her footsteps paused, she looked around for a moment as if gauging where to start. She had no car of her own at that moment, she'd have to hoof it to a bus stop or flag a cab, as her hands reached into the pockets of the pants she was wearing, she found them empty.

"Great, just fucking great." Slapping her pocket as she rolled her eyes, it seemed she would have to beat feet to get her car, and then start looking for Eric.

"Having problems?" The sweet Oklahoma accent of Lindsey McDonald came fluttering over her shoulder and to her ear.

Turning around a smart mouthed remark on the ready, dying on lips as she saw the torment in the guys face, she had seen torment but this was something on a whole new level for her. "Something like that."

"Yea, we all do kid." The bitter tone in his voice wasn't hard to identify, even if he had tried to conceal it, it was far too much.

The want for feeling incensed flared up within the slayer, though it also warred with the want to ask him what was wrong. Instead, the girl just furrowed her eyebrows, looking straight at the man who had just been raised from the dead, for a purpose he may or may not be able to fulfill.

After a few seconds of Lindsey glancing to the passing vehicles slowly making their way down the street, his eyes slowly returned to Kaya. "So where are you going?" His stubborn chin slowly jutting out as he spoke to her.

"I have some things I need to take care of." She watched as the tendon near his mouth tensed faintly, and then slowly released. "I need to find a friend of mine to make sure he's all right."

Lindsey watched the girl in front of him for a moment, before he shrugged his shoulders. "Could you possibly use some help?"

"I could use a ride if you can offer it."

"Come on then." He offered no smile, he offered no sort of look besides the steely glare he seemed to have adopted in the short time while she was taking a shower. He began to walk past her then without looking back, expecting her to follow.

--

_Foyer_

--

"So…" Spike glanced to Lorne and Angel a moment, raising his eyebrows up as he settled back in his chair.

"So…" Angel repeated as he folded his hands in front of him.

"Right… We seriously need to figure out exactly what we're going to be doing in La La land now, stick around see if a fight breaks out, or maybe go to Vegas and see the Siegfried and Roy show." Lorne looked up from his seabreeze as he settled back with an air of absolute diva-ness.

"Or we could perhaps find the reason as to why neither Angel nor Spike reached their Shanshu." The soft Oxford accent of Wesley heard coming from the back of the room, where he was standing beside Illyria.

"Ah, and if it's not our lady Blue and our resurrected rogue demon hunter in the house, was wondering where you two kiddos got off to." Lorne glanced to the two who seemed to be faintly worse for emotional wear.

"We were having a discussion." Illyria's typical cold emotionless tone replying.

"Discussions are… Good." Angel blinked, turning to look at Wesley a moment, a look of confusion on his face.

"Yes, Angel?" Wesley's eyes connected with his for a long moment.

"Explain to me how you got back here."

_Twenty Minutes Pass_

"And here I thought you two got the short end of the stick, but you got caught up in a clause because Faith killed innocents before, and now you have to somehow earn a one way ticket on a midnight train to Georgia… Damn." Lorne watched Wesley for a moment with a faint frown. "I'm sorry Wesley."

"Why would you apologize, you have not caused this to happen." Illyria spoke softly as she had remained standing beside Wes.

"Because blue bonnet, I can associate and sympathize with Wes. I think we all lost something last night." His eyes lowering faintly as he said those words. Replaying the last few moments before he had taken a mans life.

"Bullocks! All of it, absolutely all of it is shite!" Spike stood up with a vehemence and anger that echoed through the somewhat empty foyer. "They lied to us, they pulled the wool over our eyes again! There was no Shanshu, there is no heaven for the good guys, bloody Christ there isn't even peace for Blue here!" His hands moving with every single word as he began to pace. "And the sweet little bint who helped us out? Left, and why? Because we're all screwed! That's right, I said it, we're all bloody screwed. We sold our souls to the devil LONG before last night, and now we are paying for it! I not only had to pay without my Shanshu, my one single solitary glowing hope of mortality but also my coat! Angel not only lost the bloody love of his life, had to give up his son, he had to work for the bastards he hates! Lorne here killed a man, he lost his club, and he lost that little gleam in his eye. We lost Fred, sorry Blue but it's the truth, we lost her. Granted it's kind of cool to have an old god around but we still lost her. Wesley lost the woman he loved, he lost his life, and to be thrown back in after being told 'Sorry mate we can't help you because of the psycho slayer killing innocents.' Gunn not only gave up his principles and his street smarts for what? A suit and a tie and became as slimey as Lindsey and even then HE got screwed out of the hell he should have been in. We all got our balls chopped off and for what! NOTHING! I say rot in bloody hell for all I care, the Powers that Be can count me out." With that he began to head towards the door.

Angel's hand raising up, his mouth opening to say something, but he was unable to find the words.

"Spike, I would like to point out it is still daylight." Wesley looked towards the blonde with a faint shake of his head. Surprised by the outburst perhaps, but he knew that it would be coming.

Lorne and Illyria watching on in quiet stillness.

"BLOODY CHRIST!" Spike yelled, grabbing hold of an old pot for a palm tree they had for a while and threw it across the room. "They even took away my ability to have a good snit!" With that Spike just stomped up the steps.

"He'll be okay, he does this every now and then." Angel replied quietly, thinking over Spikes words.

"He is angered." Illyria watched as the man who had at one time been her guide stalked away, up to the second floor where the door is heard slammed.

"That's not even the tip of the iceberg cookie." Lorne sighed softly.

--

_Higher Plane_

--

"Wow, now you know if this was television, I think he would get an award for that diatribe."

"Cordy… This is just torturing you, not being able to be down there and to say those things to them isn't it?"

"Oh blow it out your backside."

"Testy, however I think I have something that will make you happy. I have figured out in all my infinite wisdom, how we can get them some help."

"Oh Doyle!" Cordy leaped into his arms. "See I knew you could do it!"

"Yea, but I have to figure out where to get some chains." He gave a faint wincing look.

"Chains? … Doyle you're not going kinky on me?" Cordelia looking towards Doyle with a curious glance.

"No! Sure okay maybe it sounds like fu.. NO! I just need to play an old Ghost of Christmas past that's all."

Cordy just eyed him for a moment.

--

_Downtown LA_

--

The car drove slowly through the traffic while Kaya picked up the cellphone and tried once more, only receiving Eric Carrington's voice mail again. Slamming the phone shut she tossed it onto the dashboard.

"Something the matter?" Lindsey's eyes remaining on the road, as his cold demeanor shined through.

"You just love asking that question don't you?" Kaya's own mood turning dour due to the fact that she was tired, worn out and worried.

"Aww and she has fits too, I heard that's typical for slayers."

Rolling her eyes. "If you must know, my watcher's missing. I can't find him." The sound of loss heard in her voice, as she looked out the passenger window. "Not that you would care."

Lindsey glanced over towards the faintly sulking Slayer, before he looked back to the road. "Why not be worried over your family, you have family don't you?"

"Sure, if you can call them that. They don't need me, and I sure as hell don't need them." Pushing the stray strands of hair out of her face.

"You so sure about that?"

"What do you care? Honestly, from what I heard you haven't cared about anything in a long time."

"Fine, I'll just turn on the radio."

His hand reaching over, he turned on a country station, much to Kaya's surprise. He hummed along to the song that was playing, and fell back into a silence he seemingly enjoyed, even if the country music was like nails on chalkboard to her.

Finally after three minutes, she couldn't handle it anymore. "If I tell you will you turn off that garbage they call music?" Her eyes snapping towards him, noticing the faint cocky and arrogant smirk that Lindsey McDonald had always been famous for.

"Sure, but only after you tell me."

Rolling her eyes she let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, they disowned me after I got attacked by vampires. I didn't want to go back to school, they didn't want to have a loser for a daughter who was on drugs… I made the mistake of telling them what I saw."

Lindsey frowned, his hand moving over and turning off the radio, he said nothing after that.

"What no retorts? Nothing sarcastic to say? Wow and here I thought you had an acid tongue."

"Nah, figured I'd let you off easy once." Forced sarcasm that came off as tiredness and belligerence, which in turn showed off Lindsey's bad attitude.

Arching an eyebrow, Kaya was quiet. She could understand exactly why no one liked this guy, he seemed like a dick to the highest power. A soft snort coming from her as her eyes glanced out the window, hand moving slowly, rhythmically against her old wound.

"What, got something to say goldilocks?"

"You're a dick you know that? Seriously, people have always said I have a seriously bad attitude, but you take the abso-fucking-lute cake. Do you really have to work hard on being such an asshole, or does it come naturally? I actually felt sorry for you back at the hotel. I regret that compassion now, you don't need it, and hell I don't think you even want it. Seems it doesn't matter if you worked for that law firm or not, you're always still an asshole aren't you? I hope it's something you take pride in; lord knows you won't have pride in anything else. And no one will have it in you either." Finally doing what Kaya did best, telling people what she truly thought.

The car brakes slam, if she hadn't been able to brace herself, Kaya would have flown through the windshield, as she hadn't buckled herself in. White knuckles clinging to the steering wheel, as Lindsey's face was a mask of anger. "Get out." The only two words he could manage to say, and even then it sounded like a growl.

Kaya stared for a moment, and then did get out just as he had ordered. A few moments later, Lindsey McDonald came around the car stalking towards her, his fist coming up and slamming hard into her jaw.

Kaya's head snaps back. The taste of copper in her mouth, hand coming up to brush at it gently, as her eyes slowly came back towards him, standing up straighter with a smirk. "Thought you'd hit softer." She spit the blood on the ground. "Come on, you can do better though." Her hands raising at her sides, as if she wasn't going to stop him or defend himself.

Lindsey just stared at her, perhaps surprised that he had hit a woman, or that he had just delivered such a powerful punch to a female who seemed not all that phased.

"COME ON HIT ME!" Yelling into his face. "Hit me you son of a bitch, come on big man fucking hit me already!" Goading him, something inside both of the people having snapped. "Hit me, or I'll make you regret the first punch." Something in her tone, showed that she was telling the truth.

Lindsey doubled back once more, his left fist connecting with her face, while his right fist delivered right into her stomach; causing the Slayer to double over in pain, as the definite gush of blood coming from her nose showing it was broke. However, Lindsey did not stop, he brought his knee up hard against Kaya's face, as he then brought out his foot, connecting to her stomach, as she fell to the ground he was ontop of her in seconds, his hands wrapping around her throat.

In Lindsey's mind however, it wasn't the Slayer he was choking, it wasn't the girl that had made him laugh earlier. It was himself, he was trying to kill himself for all the wrong things he had done in his life, it was Angel, the damned vampire who always ruined everything, it was Marcus Hamilton the son of a bitch that had perpetuated the Senior Partners plans, it was Holland Manners who started it all, it was even Lilah Morgan who had been his partner in the darkest sins. He did not realize he was about to choke the life source out of the Slayer under him. Or so he thought.

As the girls eyes closed, and she did not struggle, he raised his hands from her throat, staring at them for a moment. "Kaya?" He didn't feel her stir nder him. "Kaya wake up!" Shock not registering the fact that she was breathing, nor the fact he was being set up.

Kaya Jordan had been a fighter for a long time, and had always been the punching bag when things got out of hand, she didn't mind sparring with people if it made them feel better, and this was no different. Within seconds her legs came around his waist as she rolled quickly, and then pinned him to the ground, looking down into his shocked eyes, some of her blood dripping off onto his face.

"See, not so hard to get it out sometimes is it?" Her hands pinning him to the ground, he tried to fight back but realized that he himself was not strong enough for the slayer ontop of him. "Sometimes, you have to realize that shit you keep piled in you? … Is worse then things you have done, because it leads to you wanting to kill someone. But, I still have to teach you a lesson about hitting women." With that her head came slamming down against his, knocking him out. "Don't do it." She stood up, grabbing him by his feet and pulled him into the car.

--

_Higher Plane_

--

Cordy just stared at the image in front of her, while Doyle was off doing lord knows what. "And I thought Faith was crazy."

--


	5. Chapter 5

_The night sky was littered with stars, in the distance the sound of a dog yapping could be heard, and even further the sound of a rather large clocktower sounding off the time, ten chimes, ten pm. _

_The ground was wet with the evening's rain, which had finally stopped, though the smell of the wetness was still in the air, clinging almost like a blanket in and of itself. Nocturnal animals were astir, skittering and flying here and there, however there was one nocturnal animal that did not make a sound. A nocturnal animal that did not even leave a mark on the wet pavement, a nocturnal animal that was not seen at all. _

"Giiiles…. Giiiiiles.. Rupert Giles, this is your alarm service calling." The sound of chains could be heard gently clinking together as the man in bed did not even stir a single bit, a soft snort heard, is all that came from the prone man.

A sigh, a look of exasperation on the ghostly visage of Doyle, he shouldn't have been there, shouldn't have been doing this. However Doyle had always been a sucker for Cordelia and this was no different. "You owe me." He muttered under his breath before he got right up next to Giles' face. "WAKE UP!"

Rupert Giles sprung to his feet halfway awake and even less dressed. "What!" He spun around looking towards the being in front of him, in the dark moonlight he was able to make out the form of a man but that was about it.

"Oh god put on some pants!" Doyle spinning around quickly. "That's going to be an image that will forever be burned into my mind." His hands coming up scrubbing at his face.

The sleep addled ex-Watcher looked upon Doyle for a moment as his hand moved out to turn the light on. He looked towards the man in the brown suit and the chains, putting on his glasses though his nudity he does not cover up. He stared to the peculiar looking man, before he finally spoke. "And just exactly who are you?" His mind already calculating the distance from a weapon in case it was needed, ignoring the man's plea for him to cover it up.

Doyle blinked a few times, right. He didn't know who he was… Hmmm now how to do this, he thought for a moment and shrugged his shoulders, best to be honest. "I'm a spiritual guide, who's come to tell you, that you are needed in Los Angeles toot sweet." Trying to avoid looking below Rupert's face.

Giles looked towards Doyle a moment, before sitting down. "I…see. A spiritual guide sent to tell me to go to Los Angeles, where Angel, or perhaps even Angelus has taken over the Wolfram and Hart law firm. Why am I not convinced?"

Frowning, Doyle thought for a moment, wondering what in the world would Cordy do at this moment.

"Like seriously what is your damage? The Rupert Giles –I- know wouldn't just let the end of the world happen while sitting on his keester doing nothing about it. No siree Bob, It's as if you got.. soft when you became older." Giles glancing up at Doyle as if he had just gone starkers. "Fine! I know Cordelia Chase, and the boys in LA could use your help, I think you owe it to them after letting poor Fred die."

Doyle walked over to lean against the window, watching Giles, hands resting in front of him, lips pursed. Seeing the range of emotions running the gamut on the poor sods face, it almost made Doyle feel guilty. Almost. Not quite. Though still wishing he'd put on some clothes or something.

--

_Foyer at the Hyperion_

--

The foyer of the Hyperion hotel had fallen quiet after the outburst from Spike, several hours earlier. Now the remnants of the afternoon sun filtered in through the glass in the doorway. Lorne was catching a small nap on the loveseat that was in the middle of the lobby, able to finally rest his weary head after such a long and very intrusive night –and- day. Angel sat at the front desk, unable to go back to his office where Eve's prone body was just a true and morbid reminder of the past night, the past night that Angel had put all his hopes and dreams; only to have them crumbling down on him like quicksand that was about to choke him alive. Wesley was reading over a leather bound book, it seemed as if death had not stopped him from researching, and this time it was a cure for Eve, to bring her back to the world of the living, instead of the coma like state she was in. Illyria was sitting there, watching him, though her mind seemed to be a million miles away.

"Wow, who died?" A young man's voice was heard coming from the front door, it was Connor, Angel's mis-begotten and then lost son.

Angel raising his head a moment, he stood up. "Hello Connor." He tried to smile, however it just did not seem to stay on the brooding vampire's face.

"I'll ask again, who died?" His feet bringing him down the steps of the Hyperion and fully into the foyer. He glanced over towards Illyria curiously a moment, his head tilting. She was watching him as intently as he was watching her.

"No one died. It's just been a long night and day, son." Angel added the _son_ on a little weaker than perhaps he should have, lying had come so easy to him before, and now he found it unbearable to do. He had lived a lie for so long, since his time of taking over Wolfram and Hart, he couldn't do it anymore.

"What aren't you telling me?" Connor finally looked back to his father, as Wesley raised his head from the book. "The end of the world lie didn't go over too well, neither did this one. What's going on?" Connor moved to sit down on the edge of the couch Lorne had passed out on, and put his elbows onto his knees.

"Wesley died last night, fighting a warrior's fight." Illyria answered the half blood. Strange how he called Angelus father, she had never heard of vampires siring actual children.

Connor blinked, then blinked again as he stared towards Wesley. "If he's dead then why is he sitting there?" A logical question in the mind of the young man, he had vague memories of Wesley, of Fred who this blue hair chick looked like.

"If we knew that, we'd be able to have more answers as well. It seems I have been returned for redemption. How are you Connor?" Wesley looked towards the man now, who's shock was registering on his face as plain as day.

"I'm okay, thanks." He then would look to Angel. "I thought you said everyone made it."

"Well technically…they did." Angel shrugged a shoulder helplessly.

Connor shook his head a little bit, as he glanced back towards Illyria. "You look a lot like… Fred…but different."

Illyria's eyebrow arched faintly, before she spoke. "Winifred Burkle was my vessel so I could come onto this plane of existence." The words were cold, un-emotional, causing the half blood to flinch, as well as Angel and the man she was sitting next to, Wesley.

That's when the front door opened up widely, Connor turning around to see a blonde chick who in his mind at least was rather attractive, carrying a bloodied man. The man looked familiar, however he didn't know his name.

"Kaya what happened? Were you attacked?" Wesley standing up, asking a question in a tone of a father perhaps talking to an errant child, moving away from the book he was reading through to head towards her.

Pausing as he noticed blood on her face as well.

"We… uhm.. uuuh…" Kaya blinked a few times, looking down to the unconscious Lindsey then up to Wesley. "Had a discussion?" The sheepish look on her face was as if a child caught with their hand in a cookie jar.

"Discussions are good." Illyria echoing Angel's words from earlier.

While Connor and Angel looked on in shock.

--

_Earlier That Day_

--

Kaya had been driving around the town for thirty minutes, looking for her Watcher, while Lindsey was blissfully quiet, then again he hadn't regained conciseness just yet. As she sat at a stoplight, she wiped the blood from her nose once more. With the tiniest of ridges popping up, she knew it was broken. However if it came from Lindsey or the headbutt she delivered to him, she didn't know.

"Oww.. What.. happened?" Lindsey's eyes finally prying open as he looked up to the blonde that was now driving his car. Trying to sit up he felt a sharp pain in his head.

"You tried to kill me and I knocked you out." She began to drive once more, not glancing over to him.

"What? I… Oh." The only words that came from his mouth for a long moment, as he finally pulled himself into a full sitting position, and he then rubbed the large goose egg he had on his forehead. Finally able to say something, "Where are we?"

"Just left the bookstore that Eric owns, he wasn't there." A sigh coming from her lips as she drove down the street, a hand coming up to wipe at the blood once more that dribbled from her nose. She had at least had the forethought to clean them both up afterwards.

"Oh." Perhaps for the first time in years, Lindsey was unable to find something to say, and actually felt uncomfortable. He wasn't sure if it was the fact the girl he tried to kill was now talking to him as if nothing happened, or the fact he got his ass handed to him by a girl.

"Feeling better at least?" She asked with a hint of concern as she stopped at a stop sign, finally glancing to him. He could see the dark bruising around her throat, which caused the man to wince faintly.

"Yea, hey…. Sorry, I.. I don't know what came over me." Tripping over his own tongue, it was hard to imagine that just a few years ago Lindsey was actually one of the slyest lawyers in LA.

"Happens. Always believed that you have to let it out one way or another, better me than some jackass who can't take a hit. Oh don't look so surprised, I goaded you, you took the bait. Happens all the time." Chuckling softly, the slayer looked at him for a moment. "Besides, you hit like a girl."

With that Kaya began to push the accelerator once more as she drove, the shocked expression on Lindsey's face damn near priceless, however she didn't have a camera.

For nearly another twenty minutes, things were going well. Of course the two car-mates didn't speak, but what was there to talk about? She was busy looking for her Watcher, and he was busy trying to wrap his mind around everything. Unfortunately, the only things he could remember were Eve and the story that Lorne had told him about this Slayer's past. Two horrible events, that he had a hand in, two lives ruined because of his involvement. The guilt that Lorne had felt was nothing compared to the guilt that Lindsey was feeling within that moment.

_Then, those twenty minutes came to a grinding halt. _

"God dammit!" Kaya's hands slammed against the steering wheel of the car as she was becoming more and more frustrated.

Unfortunately for Lindsey, he never did learn enough tact to not piss off a female at times. "You're so…cute when you're angry." The sarcasm dripping.

Kaya's jaw clenched tightly, her eyes flickering over towards him. "Get out of the car." Her eyes narrowing, anger over-riding her once more.

Lindsey smirked faintly as he got out of the car, thinking she would just scare him this time, there was no way she'd beat up on him just for being a smart ass. Unfortunately, there has been several times in his life that Lindsey McDonald has not been right. This is one of them.

As soon as Kaya rounded the front of the car she was on him, shoving him up against a tree, as they were stopped in a residential area now. "What the hell is your malfunction! Can't you go one single solitary fucking day without saying something that will piss a person off! No wonder why you chose to be a lawyer, you're fucking good at your job!" She was shoving him rather roughly, the bark was biting against his tender skin, her hands clutching at the shirt he was wearing.

Lindsey's hands reached up, holding onto her wrists. "What, you can dish it but you can't take it? What's the matter Slayer? Feeling all alone and weft behind because your widdle watcher ran away, hell I can't honestly blame him. Oh what are you going to beat me up again? Will that make you feel better?"

Kaya smirked. "I don't believe on beating up the same person twice in a row, but you? I may make an exception for." With that her knee connected right between the middle of his legs, as she let him go.

Lindsey came crumbling towards the ground, feeling the air surge from his lungs. As the Slayer began to walk away, however, Lindsey lunged himself towards her and tackled her to the ground. For several moments they were like that, wrestling and trying to pin one another on the ground, however this was not play fighting. Both were trying to inflict some form of damage to the other. It was almost like seeing two siblings fighting over who got the keys to the car that night.

A left punch thrown by Kaya that connected to his jaw, a knee to her kidney's delivered by Lindsey, both were taking their lumps and it didn't seem like either was going to back down. It seemed both had a point to prove, dominance over the battle of wits and body. However, no one ever said that they had to have brains.

Finally, both fatigued with exhaustion, their previous injuries having been added to, the two relented, laying on some poor woman's lawn panting heavily for breath. A slayer and a would be hero both winded from their physical arguments, if it hadn't been so preposterous, it could have been comical.

"You… Fight… Dirty." Lindsey was able to wheeze out, rubbing his sides with a wince.

"Didn't… ouch think…. Lawyers could brawl." Smirking as she tried to sit up. "I think you definitely made sure my nose was broken."

"Feel better?" Lindsey smirked as he closed his eyes, feeling the afternoon sun beating down on him.

"Shut up!" A hit to his arm as she began to stand, offering him a hand up, as he began to take it, she let go seeing him fall back down. "Now I do." Smirking at him for a moment, before erupting into a soft laughter, Lindsey doing just the same as he laid on the ground.

--

_Hyperion Foyer_

--

"Exactly how many times did you two do this?" Wesley asked, looking to the slayer as if she had gone starkers.

Kaya put the ice pack onto her forehead and shrugged. "Three, the slap fight in the car doesn't count."

Connor just looked to the blonde for a moment, then shook his head, moving to sit down away from her, but still watch her. She was intriguing, better than that one slayer he had met when he was still Angel's son.

"I… Don't know what to say about this." Angel shook his head, in all of his years the closest thing he had ever seen to this was Fight Club, and even then that wasn't as bizarre as this.

"Be thankful I don't have split personalities then." Giving a faint smirk to him as if she could read his mind, as she closed her eyes, slouching down onto the couch some, and resting the back of her head on the couch.

Angel glanced over towards Wesley, who was far too reminded of a certain rogue slayer for his own good, a grim look on his features, as he looked back towards Angel. His eyebrows arch while Angel shrugged helplessly.

--

_England_

--

"You didn't know did you?" Doyle asked the quiet and somber Rupert Giles as they remained in his bedroom. "You didn't realize that he was tellin' the truth…"

"No, I didn't know." Giles' tone was soft, his eyes were lowered as he held his head in his hands. "I didn't know at all, other than what we had been told. That Angel had sided with Wolfram and Hart, that's all we –had- to know, I couldn't allow for anyone to be injured by Angelus…Again." His tone dripping with sadness and self-hatred, his entire body showing a defeat in the beliefs that he thought were right.

Doyle rolled his eyes heavenward, then back onto Giles. "And so now what are you going to do? Mope, I don't think that's the type of man I've been told about. Now we could go and have some lovely Earl Gray and I could be on my merry way, however I don't think that's going to happen either English. So why don't we just get on our merry way to LA? Well, your merry way; I can't go there." Doyle shrugged his shoulders as he said those last words.

Giles brought up his head, looking to him for a moment. "Why won't you be there?" Perhaps, thinking this could still be a trap. "And how do I know this still isn't a trap?"

Doyle thought for a long moment, before he moved over towards Giles, not touching him but looking into his eyes. "You miss her still, Jenny Calendar, Joyce Summers, even Anya. You miss the women that have been in your life, that's why you avoid seeing her so much, Buffy. You know the little one, Dawn still misses you, misses the way you make tea. Or help her with her summer English course, the one she's failing. You asked for proof chief, don't give me that shocked look." Doyle's hand then moves up and touches Giles' temple softly, as he felt a warmth spread over him, a calm for a moment as he began to speak again, "I'm not meant to meddle with the Heroes. Powers that Be made a rule after the last time someone decided to do that. So now I just get to watch from up above, with Cordelia, who inspired me to come and talk with you."

Giles stared for a moment, before speaking. "Cor.. Cordelia Chase is dead? I only thought her to be in a coma?"

Doyle shrugged. "Those as we say, are the breaks kid. You loose touch, you don't know things anymore. I think you'll be surprised by quite a few things once it's all said and done. I suggest you leave soon, there's a redeye that can get you there, unless you have some nifty transportation device."

Even though Giles had not given an answer, he nodded his head at those words and stood up. "Yes, flying would be easier, though perhaps more problematic. I should pa-." Then realizing that he had not agreed at all, "Wait, I've not said I am going." He turned around looking to Doyle.

"Nah, but then again, from what I know about you… You are and that means Cordelia will get off of my back." Doyle gave a hopeful smile. "And could you possibly now put on some pants?"

"Yes, indeed." Nodding his head to Doyle's answer, before pausing turning to get something to put on. "Terribly sorry about that." As he then turned to speak to Doyle once more with the sheet around his waist, he saw the man had disappeared. "Oh… Hell."

--

_Foyer_

--

Illyria sat beside Wesley who was once more going over an old looking book, the pages worn and yellowed with time. While she watched this man, Wesley; she was reminded of the time apart from the others during battle, angered by the loss of him, and by the once god that she had not recalled until the very end, it had all been but a single and simple blur. There was a gnawing at the back of her mind, almost like a low toned hum no one else could hear that was causing her to become agitated. A faint grunt of annoyance coming forth from the once goddess as she shot up to her feet.

Wesley glanced up to her curiously, "Everything all right Illyria?" He asked, quietly closing the book once more. While the others who had been conversing quietly had also turned their attention onto her, curiously wondering what the blue haired one was doing.

"I am feeling agitated, I wish to hurt things." Coldly stated, as was per her normal tone, as she felt a sudden warmth spring from within, "I… think," a look of disbelief moving over her features, "I am not sure."

Angel studied Illyria for a moment, before looking to Wesley who had a most defined perplexed look upon his face. "You are not sure, Illyria?"

Shaking her head, she strode off without another word, returning back towards the courtyard in which she had found solace before.

"That was definitely…odd." Angel shook his head, before turning back to look at Connor who was watching Kaya as she was sat back, staring off into space.

"So, as you can see we're almost back to normal. Whatever normal is now." He replied to the man who was his child, sitting down beside him.

"I see that… Though I'm still curious how you got a Slayer to fight beside you. I thought they were all like gone in training or something?" Connor finally looking back to Angel.

"She's…special. Lorne brought her, thought we could use the help. She knows Gunn, but… I'm not exactly sure if she'll be sticking around. She doesn't seem to be able to work well with others, if uuuh, Lindsey's face is any sort of example." Angel had to chuckle faintly at that one.

"She's kind of hot." Connor said in such a manner, sheepish to be exact as he watched the blonde slayer once more. "Even with all those bruises."

Angel grinned even more quietly to himself this time. It seemed like father like son, especially when it came to Slayers.

As Connor realized Angel had been quiet for a while, he slowly turned his head to look at him, noticing that grin which caused him to raise an eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing, Connor, nothing at all." He chuckled a little bit, and shrugged his shoulders. His son still giving him a look as if he didn't believe him. "I'll explain when you're older."

"Funny, Angel, really funny." Breaking out the actual name, which made him chuckle even more, knowing he got to his son, it felt good to be able to laugh.

Kaya was leaning over the front desk and looking over a map, trying to find exactly where Eric could have gone. It had made no sense it was as if he had fallen off of the face of the planet, which was distressing in and of it self.

The frown on her lips was growing ever more present as each minute slowly ticked away, with sharpie in hand she had marked off all the places she had looked already. It seemed futile for her.

"Having trouble?" Wesley asked as he moved to put the book up, glancing to the blonde Slayer with a hesitant gaze.

Kaya slowly raised her head, giving a small nod of it after a moment. "Trouble seems to know how to find me."

Wesley stood quiet for a moment, before speaking. "I see. Have you always been so… prone to anger?" Asking almost tentatively, as if afraid she'd attack him.

That caused her to pause, then chuckled softly for a moment. "No, I've not always been so prone to anger, and I'm not prone to anger now. I just realized that you have to stop sugar coating shit. I think having your life flashing before your very eyes has a way of doing that though. Don't you agree?" Her gaze meeting his, unabashedly.

"Yes, I would have to say so. However, I don't go around beating everybody up."

"Anymore. I've heard stories about you."

Wesley's shocked expression remained longer than it should have.

"Shit happens man, the thing is you gotta roll with it, and make sure it doesn't roll you over." Her blue orbs gazing upon him. "You know what I mean?"

"Yes, I believe I do, you are not one of those slayers who hurts innocents are you?" Unable to hold back that question any longer.

"Nah, I just don't believe all humans are innocent. Gangbangers, drug dealers, pimps, rapists, those are the worst demons of all, because they're human." Her eyes locking with Wesley for a long moment, speaking softly, "Because they are doing this to their fellow man."

Wesley just looked faintly shocked at such an outlook on life, at such a young age, as the blonde slayer began to walk away limping just faintly. He let out a soft sigh of sorts. He knew if her Watcher was not found, he would have to become a mentor of sorts, even if the Watcher's Council did not exist at this moment, and even if it did; he would be no member to it.

He had given up on the Watcher's Council so long ago; it meant nothing to him anymore. He owed them nothing, the Slayer's nothing, however he could keep telling himself this, he knew somewhere in his mind it wasn't true.

"God, what.. hit me?" Lindsey groaned from the bench he was sitting on, slowly sitting up, and looking over everyone for a moment, raising an eyebrow to his already swollen eye.

"That would have been Kaya, again apparently." Angel answered Lindsey, forgetting for a moment that he and Lindsey had not exactly been on the best of terms when he had left the hotel, then again when had they _ever_ truly been on even odds before?

Kaya actually gave the now resurrected lawyer a grin, sheepish but prevalent in her entire exterior, as she too was not without her bumps and bruises. To Angel's chagrin, however, Lindsey grinned back, and chuckled some; until the pain in his ribs told him it was a bad idea and he held them.

"The girl hits harder than you Angel." Lindsey's eyes turned to him for a moment, giving a smirk.

"No way, no way can she hit harder than me." Angel stood up, as if his entire manhood had just been threatened in that one single utterance. Connor just looking on in a mixture of awe and shock, thinking these people had finally lost it.

"Wanna test that theory vampire?" Kaya stood up with a grin. "Or maybe I should just call you Mr. Brood, it has a better ring to it." Dropping the ice pack she began to walk towards him.

Wesley watched on, humored by this. Reminded of how Spike and Angel used to try and one up themselves, he felt for a moment something other than the loss that was brooding deeply within him at that moment.

"You wanna go Slayer? Fine, it's on. Unless you wanna heal fi-" Before he could finish the sentence a fist came flying into his face, his head snapping back, then forward once more. "Ow! I wasn't-" throwing a punch into the Slayer's bruised face, as her head snapped forward much like his. "-Finished yet, thank you."

"That's the deal with all you vampires and supernaturals, you like to talk-" Throwing a punch into his face this time, but at the same time, taking a step forward and hooking her ankle to his, tripping him up and sending him onto his back. "-Too much."

Angel looked up at the blonde Slayer and laid on his back still. He had to admit she was rather spunky and crafty when it came to her abilities. He kipped up and gave a small nod of his head. "That we do." With that he lunged to her, she jumped out of the way, landing on her foot wrong, as her knee twisted and she went down like a ton of bricks, holding her leg. "I didn't even touch you!" Angel turned, looking to her as he saw the pain in her eyes.

Moving over towards her, he crouched down, looking with a hint of concern. Wesley had also noticed this and began to walk towards them, Lindsey standing up with a hint of difficulty, in pain but also concerned; knowing the Slayer was a crafty one but that was a definite look of pain. "Kaya, are you all right?" Angel asked quietly, as he reached out to help her up.

Kaya glanced up to Angel, and took in a deep shuddering breath. Connor watched from his vantage point, confused about what just happened, and now amused himself about what he had just seen, recalling the sparring sessions that had taken place so long ago, another time, another life.

"I'm… Fine." She then tore open the knee of the pants she was wearing, and looking to the knee that was now swollen and painfully red. "Or, maybe not." Frowning as she saw that, she took in a deep breath, as she sighed. Not wanting to say the next words that came out of her mouth. "Could someone, please help me.. U-" Before she could even finish the sentence, every male in that room, aside from Lorne who was still asleep, were reaching out to help her onto her feet and onto a bench. She had to laugh at that. "Chivalry truly isn't dead." Settling her head back against the bench, and she closed her eyes. "You know…" She trailed off, and as the men in the foyer looked to her, they would see she had fallen fast asleep.

--

_Spiritual Plane_

--

"So…" Cordelia looked towards Doyle for a moment. "You're not going to tell me, are you?"

Doyle looked to Cordelia a moment, pursing his lips together and gave a shake of his head.

"Oh come on! Doyle that's not exactly fair!"

"Fair, fair she says! Coming from the woman who not only tried to get me to co-sign on a loan so she could go on a shopping spree, but also badger a poor sod to death to do meddling which we aren't to meddle! Come on now Cordy."

Cordelia's eyes rolled as she looked to him for a moment. "Fine! You don't have to tell me, I don't care anyways, as long as it worked."

"Fine."

"Fine!"

"Good."

"Good!"

"I'm still not going to tell you."

"Dammit Doyle!"

--

_Foyer_

--

The hours had finally and slowly ticked away to dusk, the time when the vampires could go out and hunt if they wished, or to just go out and live in a world without roofs until sunrise.

The slayer still slept on the bench where they had placed her, finally having tired herself out totally and completely, expending all of her energy doing her own version of counseling.

Lorne was finally awake and reading over a newspaper that he had been able to nab out of a machine just down the block, and sipping at coffee, looking a little better now that he had time to sleep.

Lindsey was pacing, quietly and to himself; seeming almost like a caged tiger. Going over the thoughts in his mind, and the guilt that addled him every single time he looked upon the blonde slayer.

Angel and his son were busy talking quietly in hushed tones. Connor had been offering his help, though Angel was still trying to push him away from this lifestyle. Of course the stubbornness of Angel's was seen in his son, who continued to argue the fact that his life was never going to be normal again.

Wesley continued to comb over the very few books that were left in the library of the Hyperion, the occult section had dwindled, most of it had been lost in the destruction of the Wolfram and Hart building. He was bound and determined to help Eve.

Illyria had quietly returned, and remained sitting down, though not saying anything to anyone and no one saying anything to her. It seemed as if the quiet and peacefulness was going to last for the rest of the night.

Seemed, being the key word.

The door to the Hyperion opened up, though no one had glanced up for a moment.

Rupert Giles walked into the Hyperion hotel, along with Willow, Xander, and Andrew.

Still, no one bothered to look up at the people who had entered.

Until the bag Giles had been carrying was dropped onto the floor, then heads rose up rather quickly, all except for the Slayer who at that moment was still blissfully unaware.

They all stared blankly at one another for a long moment, the tension in the room once more filling rather quickly,

"Hello Giles." Angel finally said, standing up, turning to look at the foursome that was standing there. "Time has settled on you…well." Trying to hold back the anger that he felt surging through him, Giles had denied them aide when Fred could have used it.

Willow's eyes had landed on Illyria but did not leave from there, stunned into silence.

"Hello, Angel. I wish I could say it was a pleasure." Giles gave a small nod of his head, as his eyes slowly began to scan over the room, landing only for a moment on Illyria, before landing upon Wesley and staying there.

"Xander, going for a new look?" Angel asked the one eyed brown headed clown that had always been a humorous thorn in his side.

"Hah hah hah, not funny broody boy, get groinal lately?" The barbs never seemed to end with these two.

Andrew rolled his eyes and began to actually move further into the foyer, glancing around for a moment. "There was word, that you could all use our assistance." Trying to act as mature as possible, though somehow Andrew could never be taken serious, no matter how hard he had tried.

"And who is it exactly that said we needed help?" Angel asked, as Lorne, Wesley, Connor, and even Lindsey moved to stand beside and behind him. "We didn't call you, we tried that once, you guys left us hanging." His anger showing in his voice, his entire body tense, arms folding in front of him to show his rigidity.

Willow slowly began to head towards Illyria. "Fred, my god I thought you were… Wait… Fred?" She asked quietly.

"That's not Fred, cupcake, sorry." Lorne answered her, as Illyria looked to Willow as if she had a second head growing out from her body.

"Oh, but… How?" Willow looked to Wesley to answer the question.

As Wesley's mouth was about to open, Angel spoke. "You see, there was this sarcophagus, Fred opened it, inhaled something and she began to get taken over. She was getting sick, she was dying, and nothing we could do could fix it. So we call Giles here, and what does he do? Say you're out of town, Will, and hung up on me. So why not just leave it there and go again Rupert." His eyes staying locked on the ex-Watcher. "You're not wanted. You're not needed, and when you were, you turned your back on us."

"Giles…?" Willow's voice was soft, yet pleading, asking so many questions in that one word.

"You work for Wolfram and Hart, of course we're not going to help you. D'uh." Xander shook his head in disgust at the vampire. "Why should we?"

"Because not everything you see, or hear is the truth." Wesley answered. "Perhaps, you should go."

"I'm sorry but we can't do that. We were told you needed help, and we are here to help." Andrew spoke, as if talking for what was left of the Scooby Group.

"Okay, who's the geek?" Connor finally asked.

"Well who are you?" Xander asked just as demandingly as Connor had.

"I'm Angel's son, who are you?"

"Son? I highly find that…" Xander blinked with his good eye, turning his head to look at Angel. "Son?"

Angel gave a small nod of his head. "Son, you know… Spawn, offspring, fruit of my loi-"

"Oh ew, come on!" Xander just shook his head, "don't need that mental image."

"Well isn't this the most dysfunctional family reunion I've seen." Lindsey murmured to Lorne, who just gave a small nod of his head in agreement.

"I'll ask you once more, leave, get out of my hotel. You're not welcome here." Angel bristled faintly, he was getting cranky.

"Why don't you all just shut up and let me sleep." Kaya muttered from the bench, as she opened her eyes for a moment, and then shut them again, mumbling under her breath, "Great more people."

"Angel, we can't go, you need us." Willow began to walk slowly towards him for a moment. "Don't be such a teenage drama queen." Pleading in the way that Willow only knew how, using phrases that tried to defuse problems.

Lindsey moved over, sitting beside Kaya and put the blanket that had been placed on her, up over her shoulders to keep her covered, and smoothed her hair gently for a moment, an act of kindness that would have surprised people if it wasn't already a surprising situation, one filled with tension and anger.

Lorne slowly turned to Willow. "So Helga, are you able to heal people?" Thinking of the poor Gunn who lay in his bed, still in so much pain, and trying to heal up.

Willow gave a small nod of her head, the shock of the entire thing was over-flowing. She was angered at Giles for not telling her that Angel had called, asking for help. Surprised about Fred/Illryia, and surprised to find out that things were more disastrous than she could have prayed for.

"Fine, Willow can heal Gunn then you guys are gone, out of here." Angel's jaw tensing, his voice rising, in annoyance, he was done with them.

"You can't really make us leave if we didn't want to go, Angel." Giles' eyes hadn't left Angel's face just yet.

"No, but I can make you leave, if it is the half blood's wish." Illyria spoke, with a menacing coldness that set them all back a moment. "In pieces." Adding the menacing threat.

That's when a grumbling was heard from the side of the room Lindsey had been sitting on, as Kaya had been sleeping. Kaya stood up slowly, and stared towards the new people for a moment, then to the others, before she smirked. "What is the stand off of the egos?" Looking back to the new people, "Listen, I don't know you, I don't –want- to know you right now, all I want to do is get some fucking sleep. If you can't handle that as mature adults, if you cannot get your dick waving under control I will throw you ALL out. Got it! I am tired, I am cranky, I am in pain. I have just spent the last almost twenty four hours fighting in one form or another. I have had to beat the piss out of one person three times today, not including the slap fight in the car to prove a point, I have had to get three moping sods from looking like emo wanna be cry baby whining Goths, I am out of cigarettes, wearing clothes of the worst angsty vampire I have EVER seen, and I am not above yelling very very loud to get my point across. My best friend is upstairs dying on a bed, and all you guys can think about is the past! Guess what guys the past is just that, the fucking past! You may all have issues, I am sure you all have fucking subscriptions, but the point is this. I am one tired, pissed off; sore Slayer who is not above beating someone's ass to prove my point, and my point at this moment is that I want to sleep. Sleep you know a four letter word that seems to be like a curse to most of you. So why don't you all shut up, settle down, and talk in nice quiet voices, or I will start to get angry."

It was so quiet someone could almost hear a pin drop within that silence as Kaya sat back down and covered up, putting her head off to the side, eyes closing slowly.

Xander blinked a few times, and then glanced to Giles. "You mean she wasn't already?"

Giles was in a state of shock at that moment, before he cleared his throat once, and spoke. "Very well then, how about we get some tea and talk?" His eyes glancing from Kaya then slowly towards Angel as he proposed tea.

Angel gave a small nod of his head, and began to head to the small kitchen area. "That…would work. Lorne show Willow where Gunn is, and uhm… Everyone else, keep your voices down."

Lindsey glanced over towards Kaya for a moment, and could almost chuckle about how it seemed she could be the voice of reason, even in a very interesting and rude manner.

"Is she always like that?" Andrew asked softly as she moved to sit down beside Lindsey.

"Wouldn't know, just met her. But she's got fire."

"And such an enchanting personality." Which caused Andrew to just get a look from Lindsey, while Xander moved over to begin to talk to Wesley and perhaps catch up on things.

--

_Hyperion Hotel Room: 243_

--

As the door opened up to the darkened room, Willow could smell death in the air, a smell she had learned while she had gone into the darkness, the black magick that had almost killed her and everyone else. Glancing towards Lorne for a moment, she swallowed and began to move inside.

"It may take a small while for me to be able to prepare anything that could heal him. We… may not have long."

Lorne frowned, looking to Willow as he then gave a small nod. "Do what you can buttercup, that's all we can do right now, is try." His voice soft as he whispered to her.

"You know, I ain't dead yet." Gunn muttered, his eyes closed, though his breathing was pained, forced, heavy.

"No but if we don't take care of you soon, you will be. I'll try not to poke too hard." Willow tried to ease his apprehensions as she set down beside him.

"What.. was with the yelling? I heard it all the way… upstairs." Gunn winced as Willow sat down, the pain soaring through him was great.

"Kaya asking nicely for us to remain quiet so she could sleep some." Lorne answered with a faint smirk on his ruby lips.

Gunn just grinned, his face was ashen, licking his lips as if he were parched. "That's my girl."

Willow frowned, as she began to take his vitals, murmuring softly. "Let's just make sure that you can tell her that yourself." As her eyes flickered up to Lorne, shaking her head a little bit, unsure if she could even save him.

Lorne looked down with a soft frown, as Gunn had gone back to blissful unconsciousness.


	6. Chapter 6

--

_Hyperion Hotel Room 243_

--

As Willow Rosenberg, a witch who had been through so many trials and tribulations at a young age, looked over Charles Gunn, she could feel her hands trembling for the first time in months. She felt such a fear she would not be able to heal the grievous wounds that had been inflicted upon the human body.

Willow knew that the human body could be a truly frail thing, even the strongest of men, could loose their skin so easily, be killed by a car so easily, or a bullet.

Letting out a soft shuddering breath, her eyes slowly raised towards the Anagogic Demon who had been standing at the foot of Gunn's bed, looking down upon his companion, his compadre, his friend.

"I'll need some fresh water, not from a tap. A bowl if you can find it and some incense." Her tone was soft, shaky almost. For the first time in ages, she doubted her own self.

Lorne looked to Willow, and gave a small nod of his head. "Sure thing pumpkin, I'll get them in a jiffy." As Lorne turned to begin to go through the door, he spoke softly. "I'll be back as soon as I can." Willow noticed his shoulders were slumping.

The door shut quietly behind the demon as her eyes slowly went back to Gunn who was once again asleep, or unconscious, Willow was unsure of which. "Don't you die on me." Her whisper seemed to echo through the dimly lit hotel room.

--

_Kitchen Nook of Hyperion Hotel_

--

The silence was something that could almost be cut with a knife. It seemed as if no one wanted to break the quiet stillness, so many words unsaid, so many statements that still stung deep within the hearts of many.

Xander sat at the table drinking a cup of coffee, quietly staring out into nothing. Thinking on how many things had changed over the years. Cordelia, his at one time girlfriend had passed away. He had lost Anya to the Hellmouth, Faith was under the radar once more, even Buffy and Dawn were still in Rome, where they seemed to be happy. He had lost so much in the years from high school, and beyond. Seeing Angel reminded him of all the losses, something about the Vampire reminded him of the wounds that refused to heal.

Giles was quietly steeping a kettle to boil for tea. His unease had returned after stepping through the door of the hotel. He had been so certain this was the right thing to do, however the guilt that he was feeling as he looked upon Illyria was not going away, he felt he had let the poor girl down. It was not her fault that Angel had become evil, or so he thought, and he had let an innocent come to harm. It was indeed a hard load to bear. To look upon the face of Angel, reminded him of his own short-comings, something Rupert Giles was not comfortable with.

Andrew was quietly writing away in his journal about everything that had happened since their arrival. The outburst by the Slayer, which he found to be highly hard to believe that she was truly a Slayer, the argument between Angel and Giles, as well as the statement that Connor was Angel's child. Vampire's did not have children, however there the kid was, sitting there so smug right beside the vampire with a soul.

Connor glanced from face to face, trying to piece it all together. He vaguely remembered Willow, she had come to help put Angel's soul back into place during the whole pregnant Cordelia ordeal, but the rest of these men, he didn't know. They all seemed to have such an animosity, such hatred and a dislike. He couldn't understand why they were here to help, if they truly were here to help that is. Wesley and Angel seemed to be taking their arrival with a silent seething hatred that was barely at the surface. It was all so confusing for him.

Wesley sat quietly, watching his one time mentor and friend. The dagger's in his eyes showed clearly. He blamed Giles for what had happened to Fred, to Illyria, and even to himself. His road paved to hell had also been due to Rupert Giles, or so the ex-Watcher would like to believe. To be in the same room with him once more seemed, felt so preposterous. His eyes slowly gazing away from Giles to behold the face of Illyria, studying her quietly now, even Illyria had seemed changed since they arrived. Seeming more irritated.

Angel, Liam, Angelus, the man who had many names; was thinking of quite a few to call the people who had just swooped right back into his life when he needed help. Under different circumstances, possibly he would have been thankful. But these were not different circumstances. These were circumstances in which, he was too proud to ask for help, and he was too angry to ever ask for help from them. Never in a million years, after leaving Fred out to dry, after hanging up on Angel that one last time, it was far too much for him to bear.

Finally the silence was broken.

"So who was it that sent word we needed help?" Angel's tone showing his tight restraint on the anger that was bubbling forward, and that restraint was breaking moment by moment.

"Does it matter?" Giles asked, slowly turning to look to Angel a moment. "We are here, and it is evident that you indeed do need help."

"Of course it matters! Why wouldn't it matter? Why now of all times Giles? Why now?"

"Isn't it better late than never?" Andrew asked, looking up from his journal.

"Go back to writing in your diary." Connor narrowed his eyes at Andrew. He didn't even know the young man, however if Angel had a problem with them, he did too.

Andrew was about to refute that it was a journal and not a diary, that his diary was safely hidden away, though he was cut off.

"Angel, we could not be sure that you were not truly evil once more. That the statement that Fred needed our help, was not a ploy to come to LA and be slaughtered by Angelus and Wolfram and Hart, can you not see that?" Giles' town turning tight as well with indignant softness, "can you not at least understand this?"

"Giles, it was an emergency, I told you it was! How could you even think for a moment…"

"This isn't going to solve anything. It's evident now that this was a bad mistake, they don't need us Giles, we might as well give them what they want." Xander stated as he put his coffee cup down.

"Ah, finally someone with a little bit of sense around here. Don't let the door hit you." Angel didn't look towards Xander as he spoke those words.

"You blame us…For Fred getting hurt, dying. You blame us, but you don't even think about the things you yourselves have done, to get into this problem in the first place? If it had not been for you making a deal with Wolfram and Hart, selling your soul… You would not have even been in this mess to begin with." Giles' words slowly rising in volume. "Need I remind you that it was in fact your own company that caused this to happen?"

Angel was about to yell as he stood up from his chair, until Wesley spoke up.

"Angel, as much as I would love to disagree with him, he is correct. We are the ones who chose to work with Wolfram and Hart, to take it over. But our intentions were not evil, our intentions were good. But as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions." Wesley pinched the bridge of his nose. "I believe it is something that we can all understand now."

Angel turned to look to Wesley for a moment, absolutely dumbfounded and silent, his jaw faintly slack.

_--_

_Hyperion Hotel Room 243_

_--_

Lorne finally arrived with the things that Willow had asked for, totally bypassing the bickering that was going on in the kitchen nook. As he entered, he slowly glanced around for a moment and spoke softly. "I have the things you asked for pumpkin, I hope you don't mind Purple Haze incense, it's all I could by down the street." Moving over to where Willow and the unconscious Gunn were.

Willow had been focusing all of her energies towards what she would have to do next, hearing and feeling Lorne's movements brought her out of the trance she had placed herself into. "Oh, yea that's fine… Not a problem. This one time when I was doing a spell all I had was some dragon's blood incense, but it seemed to work. Guess they don't mind the smell as long as it smokes." She gave a faint smile as she seemed to ramble on, giving hint to her true worries.

Even with all the talking, Gunn's body didn't seem to stir in the bed.

Putting his hand ontop of her shoulder, Lorne spoke softly. "It's all right, just breathe sugarplum, and you'll be just fine."

Willow took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled, hoping that the green demon was right. Ever since her time using dark magick there was a part of herself that was just worried she'd be a failure without it. Of course this was called being an addict, and that was something she was never proud of.

"I'll need you to light the incense when I tell you to. So how did he get so messed up? I mean did you guys get kicked out of Wolfram and Hart?" Willow asked as she prepared a bag of herbs she was carrying with her.

Lorne gave a rueful smirk, shaking his head a little bit. "Pumpkin you need to read up on the news. Wolfram and Hart got kicked out." At the confused look on Willow's face, Lorne explained. "We took the Senior Partners on… And… lost."

That got another confused look from her, as she spoke. "How about you explain while I prepare everything okidoki?"

Lorne gave a nod of his head once more and moved over towards the witch, and began to explain from start to finish.

--

_Kitchen Nook_

_--_

With Angel's stupor having caused a silence to grow over the room for a moment, Wesley would then turn to look at Giles.

"However I do believe that to be fair, it should also be said that while we had the best of intentions coming in, we lost a great deal. If not ourselves but also those we care for, among other things." He said with a touch of bitterness. "So perhaps giving us a small indication as to how you found out would be greatly appreciated Rupert."

Before Giles could even reply, Spike comes walking in talking without looking up from the magazine he was looking at. "Right, so I'm stuffed to figure out exactly what it is we're meant to be doing now, and why is Kaya sleeping on the wan…" Glancing up from the magazine and blinking a few times as he saw the remaining Scoobies sitting at the table with the Fang Gang. "Bloody hell."

Xander would glance up towards Spike. "Spike! Spike's here! Why is it every single time I think you vampires die, it just doesn't happen?"

Spike would smirk some, shaking his head, looking towards Angel. "Once the ponce's leave we need to figure out our next move."

"No one said anything about leaving, William." Andrew would stand up then. "We came here to help." Repeating what he had said earlier in the foyer.

"Not bloody likely." Spike shook his head, moving to sit down beside Connor, giving the young one an up nod.

Giles would sigh. "Right then, while I am sure that we can argue about this for hours on end, it won't help out anything, now will it. We have all made mistakes, but perhaps we were meant to be here to help us all out. I was… contacted by someone. I don't recall his name, if he ever gave it. But he said that you all could use a bit of help, said that if we did come perhaps Cordelia would get off of his back. Speaking of which… I'm horribly sorry to hear about her passing."

That caused Xander to snort. "Well whoever it was definitely knew Cordy."

Angel glanced first to Spike, then to Wesley arching an eyebrow in thought, before he gave a small nod of his head. "All right, I could maybe give you that one. But it still doesn't change anything."

"Of course it does peaches, don't you know that it's the infallible Rupert and his little group of do-gooders who don't know when to bleedin' sod off when they know they're not welcome!" Spike gave a little outburst, his voice raising.

Welsey winced faintly. "Would you not… Yell? Kaya threatened painful death if we woke her up again."

_--_

_Foyer_

_--_

Lindsey watched Kaya as she rested on the bench, every now and then he would smooth her hair, which didn't seem to wake the Slayer. He sighed heavily and leaned against the wooden back as he glanced around the empty lobby. He was wondering if she was part of it, his supposed redemption, it would almost be fitting.

It had been three years ago, one of the stars of Wolfram and Hart when he had been given a case. It wasn't so much a case or trial, but to make sure that it never did come to trial. A small group of vampires had attacked a sorority house, killing all but one victim.

It was a simple case really, find some guy to take the fall, then set it up for him to be killed in jail, the victim would never be able to even ask questions about it, even if she knew what was going on, for fear of being called insane. The three vampires that had been the predators of that night had become his best clients for a few months before Angel had killed them.

He had never thought about that victim though, and the anger that just seemed to radiate off of her when she spoke of it, or the pain that had been caused to her. He sighed lightly, glancing down for a moment, and then towards the sleeping Slayer. His hand moving over her hair once more before he stood up, looking towards the office where Eve laid, unconscious, feeling even more guilt. It wasn't something he was used to, Wolfram and Hart had been able to justify each and every one of his actions, but now his moral fiber was re-asserting itself.

"You keep sighing like that, and I'll make a no noise rule for you too." The sleepy voice of Kaya was heard behind him.

Turning around, he looked to the Slayer whose eyes were lidded just faintly, instead of fully open. "Did I wake you?" He asked quietly.

Shaking her head a little bit she sat up and rubbed at her eyes, looking up to him afterwards. "Nah, I don't sleep much, what's up?"

Lindsey sat down beside her, shrugging his shoulders. "Well they're all not yelling in the kitchen; saw Lorne and that Willow chick go upstairs, think maybe Gunn'll be better soon."

Kaya shook her head a little bit, "While all that is swell and shit, I meant you." Turning her head to look at him fully, "And if you say it's nothing, I'll just call you emo then." Giving the lawyer a faint smirk, if not a little bit tired still.

Lindsey gave a derisive laugh at that, before he shrugged his shoulders. "Honestly don't want to talk about it right now. Maybe one day, but right now… I just want to figure out what in the hell to do."

"I think a lot of people share your sentiment right now. In fact I think we all do." Including her self into the mix, she pulled out a pack of cigarettes that were faintly smashed and a lighter, a cigarette being placed to her lips and then lit before taking a long drag and exhaling. "Without my Watcher… I'm not entirely too sure what it is I do." Scratching at her cheek for a moment, as she mulled over the options, "Could go and become a twenty something chica with no responsibilities, I always heard that was fun." Giving him a smirk with veiled eyes as smoke wafted in her face.

Lindsey felt some of the worry, guilt, and stress release from him. "But you're not like that, are you? I mean seriously the girl that whooped my ass seemed to have a reason, a purpose. Think you can shirk that off?"

Kaya smirked, shaking her head some. "My purpose and my reason were to whoop your ass, to pull your head out of it. Seriously man, I've never been one to believe in fate. We make our own destinies, I don't give a flying shit one way or another if they say that it was destined for me to become a Slayer, or that it was destined for me to meet up with everyone. I do it myself."

"So you don't think that it was fate that made what happened to you happen? That without that happening, you'd be having to balance between school, your parents and hiding who you are? Didn't it make it easier for you in the long run?"

"Sure, if you can consider the fact that I liked to crawl into a bottle and didn't give a damn about myself or anything else afterwards. Yea I guess so. Nothing in life comes easy Lindsey, nothin' in life comes with any sort of guarantees, but you know…. Maybe I'm just talking out of my ass. I tend to do that sometimes."

Lindsey shook his head a little bit. "Are you sure you're twenty one? I mean… You're rather wise." He smirked at him for a moment. "But I guess wisdom doesn't have an age restriction on it."

She shrugged her shoulders, watching him for a moment. "Lindsey, what you need to do though is figure out where you're going, and how you're going to get there. And I need to figure out what to eat. I'm starved." Standing up, she stretched a little bit and began to head into the kitchen nook, limping gently. "If I'm not out in ten minutes, call Jerry Springer." She called over her shoulder, leaving Lindsey with a thoughtful yet humored look on his face.

_--_

_Kitchen Nook_

_--_

The battle lines had seemingly been drawn in the kitchen once more, almost like two axis' of power waiting to blow one another up. The silent tension mounting to extreme levels as each one glared at the other.

_Connor had no idea who these people were, sure he had heard enough information to make his stomach turn when his father and Wesley spoke about them, however he couldn't remember these people at all, not in all the time he had been with Angel, except for Willow who was upstairs mending one of his friends… That is after Connor had tried to kill him and Fred once… or was it twice? Honestly the young dhampir couldn't remember. However, if his father and his friends did not like these new arrivals, neither did Connor._

_Spike just stared at the trio of men with a hateful look in his eyes. It seemed to be far too perfect that they arrived after the hour of need was over, and now wish to come swooping down to save them, or clean up their mess. It was so much like Giles and Xander to do that, and with Andrew trying to become Giles' new protégé it doesn't surprise him that the little ankle biter decided to take sides with him. Only thing he could be thankful for was that Buffy wasn't with them, it would be too much to bear at the moment. Now if only he could figure out a way to get the arses out of the hotel, they could get to work. _

_Xander just sat there, listening to the buzz of a fly that seemed to have taken residence within the hotel as well, would make sense, pests just like the entire group in LA, he shouldn't have let Willow talk him into coming. They didn't want him around, or anyone else, and he honestly didn't want to be around. Spike and Angel had brought nothing but trouble to Sunnydale when they arrived, and they've haunted his life ever since. Including the time that Spike slept with Anya, or the ongoing torrid romance between Angel and Buffy. They represented his heartache in flesh, even if it was undead flesh, and oh how he hated them for it._

_Wesley was quietly thinking over everything that had been passed through the conversations since their arrival. They had mentioned someone had went to them and stated they needed help, however he couldn't think of anyone who would, especially someone knowing Cordelia Chase, it confounded him and confused him more than anything. However, it was good to see them again, even if they had all changed, it had been some time. It seemed the years were far kinder to his mentor than to himself; however he knew that Giles had had a sense of loss before as well, if only he could bring himself to forgive Rupert for not being there for Fred. _

_Illyria was far too removed from the situation at hand to have any true thought about it, other than for the fact if the Vampire wished them death, she would bring it. She was still far too puzzled over her inner emotions, which was something new to her all together. When she had experienced sadness and anger the night previous, she thought it was just a tinge of a remnant, tainted by Winnifred Burkle, however the fact that they remained even after Wesley came back to life, it has grown distracting. The uneasiness and inability to be sure causing her to be very ill at ease, and very willing to cause violence. _

_Rupert Giles couldn't look upon the woman with the blue hair, every time he did he could feel an overlaying amount of guilt that should not be there. He had to protect the others first and foremost, as a Watcher it was his duty, and as a man who has suffered far too many losses, it was his curse. He felt uncomfortable, as if walking into the snake's den, even if Angel was not evil, it was the past that he was reminded of, and of his own failures. The simple fact that he felt the need to still help Angel and Spike was somewhat a new experience as well, and all on the word of a ghost, or whatever he was… At least he hadn't been attacked… yet. _

_Andrew watched from the sidelines, keeping his eyes on everyone one at a time, studying their facial expressions, and trying to read their body language, however it proved difficult when they all seemed so angry. He had hoped, when he came to LA, that things would be different. That two groups could unite for whatever malevolent and dark force seemed to be threatening them, however it seems as if the innocents were not to be saved, if they could not even talk for a few moments without arguing. If this was a Tolkien story, Gandalf would have blown them all up by now. _

_Angel sat there quietly, one on hand he was angry that they had the audacity to show up now of all times, and on the other hand relieved. Gunn was in a rather bad way, and not only that but there was also Eve… If anything, perhaps they can all work on getting her to wake up, and then they can leave. Though how he could put up with Xander and Giles for so long, would be beyond him, but he would try… He owed Lindsey that much at least, even if he would never admit it out loud._

"Talk about as silence as death." The Slayer's voice was heard as she limped through the kitchen and immediately headed towards the fridge, digging around for something to eat. "Oh gross… That… is disgusting!" Shutting the fridge door as she turned around and noticed once more all eyes were on her.

"Rest well?" Wesley asked as he looked to the blonde Slayer who seemed to be in a more…Comfortable mood. "We ah… kept it down like you asked."

"Noticed." She would then begin to rifle through the cupboards as she could feel her hunger raging on. "Don't stop talking on my behalf, seriously." She reached up, pulling down a box of Saltines, and she eyed them for a moment with a shrug before she tore open a package and began to eat them without even turning to look at the others. "Or… you all can continue to stare holes into each other." Shrugging as she heard no one talking.

Spike smirked, giving a faint shake of his head, "right would rather not be doing this at all, but the bint has a point. You very well can't bloody stick around here, when we have no idea what's going on."

Andrew perked up faintly. "Maybe if you tell us, we could offer some assistance somehow."

Angel pinched the bridge of his nose, having to re-tell the story once more was not something he'd like to do, however opening his mouth to do so when he was interrupted.

"Cliff-notes version Point-dexter. Fought big baddies in an alleyway after they decided to go after the Black Thorn, Wesley and Lindsey dying in the process, Lorne shows up with me, tells me to go and help, go and kill things, voila. Gunn's laid up in a hotel room, we're all trying to relax some… Lindsey and Wesley come back to life because they've been told if they don't redeem themselves by helping out Angel-boy here, they're going to hell… Both of them. Girly girl is out like a light in Angel's office, she was a real fireball though last night, and that's where we are. One comatose chica, one laid up brother, and a bunch of grousing. Oh and creepy blue chick… Well I don't' know her story, but she is rather aaah, creepy." Kaya said after she swallowed a cracker.

"That is…. Yea what Kaya said." Angel said, shrugging his shoulders a little bit. "It's been kind of a long night." He added with a mumble.

Giles arched an eyebrow in the most precarious of fashions looking to Wesley a moment, before his eyes focused on Angel. "Then I suppose we were brought here to help you… Do what exactly?"

"That's what we've been trying to figure out you ponce!" Spike raised his voice once more to Giles. "We have no bleedin' idea what in the hell is going on. It's all far too damned confusing."

Giles would ignore the outburst as he would then take off his glasses, cleaning them. "Well I would suggest perhaps we start with one of the more… Ah easier things. Why is this girl… Eve I believe her name is, unconscious?"

Wesley shrugged his shoulders faintly. "I'm not entirely too sure, nothing has roused her. I can't seem to find anything in the few books that we have here." He turned, looking to Angel. "Exactly what happened with her last night?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Angel would offer an open hand gesture as if he didn't know. "She was winging fireballs left and right, saying how I killed Lindsey. She was then faced with the truth that it wasn't me, it was Lorne and she… Kinda freaked out and then passed out."

Giles furrowed his eyebrows for a moment, before asking. "Was she supernatural at all? Did she have the power to throw fire I mean?"

Shaking his head a little bit, he sighed. "I'm not exactly entirely sure. I don't think she was supernatural, other than for being a link to the Senior Partners. In all the time I worked with her, she didn't do anything like that."

"Right, so that's where we begin looking, trying to find out how she got that ability, that could be the key to wake her up."

Angel silently thanked whomever was upstairs that he didn't have to ask Giles for help with that. It would be something a little too difficult for him to do.

_--_

_Higher Plane_

_--_

"Oh my god Doyle! When you said you were going to get help I never expected this! This is great!" Cordelia once more was shrieking in her happiness, and hugging the half demon tightly.

"Cordy… Eardrums." He then would hug her back with a smile. "Hey, I couldn't let you down now could I? But… Do you think it's going to help, they look like they're about to kill one another."

"That's kinda normal for all of them, it doesn't matter if they didn't help out Fred or not, they've kinda always been like that. Specially Angel and Giles and them, bad blood and all that, but with them there they could find out ---" Getting cut off by Doyle once more.

"Yea, I kinda got that feeling when I went to go and see him. God that bloke needs to learn how to sleep with pajama's on or something." Doyle shuddered.

"Oh… Eww… Mental picture NOT welcome!"

_--_

_Hyperion Hotel_

_--_

Time had slowly passed once more in the hotel, the night lights of the city had come on, and the night life had come out once more. Rupert Giles along with his protégé Andrew and Wesley were sitting down looking over the various books that Giles had brought with him. They continued to find text after text, but it seemed like nothing absolute or definite was coming up.

Willow and Lorne had been upstairs for quite a long while, and yet no sign or sound of them, causing a small un-ease and un-rest amongst the others. What would happen if Charles Gunn passed away? For the Scoobies it was a fear that Willow would blame herself and delve into the powerful magicks that had at one time caused her to turn evil. For the Fang Gang, it was the thought of another loss that was disheartening. Some of them slowly paced the floor, while others were sitting down and trying to keep their minds occupied.

"Perhaps what we need to do is see if fire is something that can rouse her, after all with such a powerful manifestation as the one that was described, it could be that it is part of a need now, a way of survival." Giles was pondering this over quietly to the other two.

"Oh cool, so kind of like Pryo's need to use fire to use his mutant powers?" Andrew asked, turning his head to look at Giles with an excited gleam in his eye.

"Yes, something like that Andrew. However, it could also prove to be dangerous. Especially for Angel and Spike, vampires are prone to fire far more than the rest of us."

"Where's an asbestos's suit when you need one?" Wesley would say with a fiant smirk on his lips, an actual joke coming from him.

Lindsey had been pacing somewhat close by when he had heard them talking. "I'll do it, if you think it's needed." Speaking up and letting them know that he had heard what they said.

"It could prove to be dangerous for you." Giles warned, in a solemn voice.

"Yea, but I'd do anything to make sure she's all right." His words just as solemn as the elder Watcher's, as he looked into his eyes. "Just let me know what I need to do."

Spike plopped down to Kaya who was engrossed in looking over a map. "Charlie-boy's gonna be just fine, you know that right?"

"Yea, I know Spike. I also need to find Eric." Her eyes glancing over towards the blonde vampire, giving a waning smile. He could see the worry evident in her eyes.

"We'll help you find him once we get him back on his feet." Patting her arm lightly, he'd offer her a filter-less cigarette, before lighting one for himself.

_--_

_Hyperion Hotel Room 243_

_--_

"That's horrible, absolutely horrible." Willow turned, holding her nose up as she had finally taken a smell of the incense Lorne had bought. "You would think that incense wouldn't be so pungent." She would look to the somewhat sad looking demon. "And I'm sorry for everything that's happened. I wish Giles would have told me Angel had called, I would have been here as soon as possible."

Lorne would give a faint smile in the way that was always him when he wasn't comfortable about something. "I know pumpkin, however we got some things we need to be worrying over now, the rest we can work on later."

Willow would give a nod of her head, as she would then move over beside Gunn, sprinkling him with the water, after she had drawn runes all over his body. Taking in a deep breath as she slowly began to chant.

--

_Foyer in the Hyperion/Angel's Office_

_--_

"Now if she stirs, or anything begins to feel not so right, I want you to leave the room immediately." Giles would warn Lindsey as he carried a lit candle towards Angel's door, slowly opening it.

Lindsey was hardly paying attention though, he entered slowly, looking over the peaceful looking Eve, steeling himself for whatever could possibly happen next. He slowly began to take his steps, covering the flame to make sure it wouldn't get blown out.

Everyone in the foyer standing up and moving towards the door to watch, including Illyria who was ever curious about these sorts of things, each one holding their breath, Angel slowly glanced towards Giles.

"Think it'll work?" He asked quietly.

Giles spoke back in a quiet tone. "I have no idea, I'm running out of options."

Slowly Lindsey lowered the candle towards Eve's hand that rested by her side.

_--_

_Hyperion Hotel Room 243_

_--_

Willow continued to chant, as she motioned with her hand for Lorne to light the incense that he was holding, and he then began to circle around the bed as much as he possibly could.

Her hands came down, alight with a soft white glow, her eyes turning black, and her head snapping upwards as she continued to chant in a language that not even Lorne knew.

Wanting to pause, he didn't however and continued to do as the witch had asked, moving the incense with him as he moved.

As Willow continued the glow began to get brighter and brighter, warmer and warmer.

_--_

_Hyperion Foyer/Angel's Office_

_--_

As Lindsey slowly lowered the candle, not yet letting it touch her skin, he looked up into her face. "Come on Eve, open your eyes." He whispered, practically begging her to wake up.

Slowly the flame touched and licked at her skin.

--

_Hyper Hotel Room 243_

_­--_

The chanting had become so loud it was almost hurting Lorne's head, as the light then enveloped the entire room.

_--_

_Hyperion Hotel_

_--_

The entire building quaked for a moment, as light enveloped the entire place, causing them to be blinded for a second.

_A set of eyes slowly opened up within the hotel._

_--_

_Author's Note:_

_Feels kinda rushed, but I like the little cliffhanger at the end. Was attempting to go for something like they do in television shows, and did a split up between actions in two places at once. Sorry for the delay in posting this, and hopefully it's not as bad as I'm thinking it is. If anyone has any comments, suggestions, or concerns don't hesitate to leave a review._


	7. Chapter 7

_**Last time on Angel **_

_The bright white light causing everyone in the building to be blinded for a moment, hands rising to shield their eyes from the light, trying to keep stabilized to not be thrown across the room. _

_Slowly… A pair of eyes open._

--

_Hyperion Hotel_

_--_

As the light slowly faded away, the people in the foyer lowered their hands and looked around. A look of curiosity etched on the faces of all, as they weren't sure of what happened.

"Everyone all right?" Angel asked, glancing towards each person slowly, the people that he could see at least.

"Yea, we're all right peaches." Spike answered, standing up slowly. "Did… Did it work?"

Spike turned, asking Giles the question, though by the look of the shoulders that were faintly sunken in defeat, he already knew the answer.

"I'm terribly sorry. We'll keep trying; we won't stop until we can find a way to awaken her." Giles whispered to Lindsey, unsure of what else to say to the man.

Lindsey just stared for a long moment at Eve. The feeling of guilt once more rampaging through him, as his hands would slowly roll into fists, dropping the candle, turning around and began to leave the office, looking for a moment at Giles, "Yea, I'm sorry too." He stepped passed them all and began to head towards the entrance of the hotel, feelings of defeat were not something he was used to.

They all watched him quietly, for a long moment, feeling the failure of this turn of events, even if not the same magnitude as Lindsey himself.

Finally the pregnant silence broken by soft words of Wesley, "We should get back to looking through the books. It's a shame that our library is not as extensive."

"I may be able to remedy that, Wesley old boy." Andrew spoke to the ex-Watcher who just looked at him oddly. "Allow me a small amount of time, and we shall continue on."

"So what exactly –was- that bright shiny light then, if it wasn't fireball waking up?" Kaya asked to everyone in the foyer, curious now as to what had happened.

"You act as if you have never seen uber healing mojo done by a witch before girl. Don't they teach you anything in Slayer school?" The voice coming from the stairs caused everyone to turn around.

"Gunn!" Kaya cried out and quickly jogged towards him, crushing him in a large hug halfway up the steps.

Gunn, being followed by Willow and Lorne, put his arms around the Slayer, hugging her for a moment, before wheezing out. "Kaya... Ribs… Ribs."

Angel glanced towards Wesley a moment, and then to Spike giving a small nod of his head with a successful smile, it was at least ONE milestone that they had to get over. Gunn was alive.

Finally Kaya let go, looking over his shoulder at Lorne and Willow. "Thanks, I owe you one." She said it sincerely

Willow and Lorne giving a soft grin, Willow shrugging. "Nothing to it, even if maybe I thought for a moment I set him on fire, it worked all right." They all began walking down the steps then, as if some form of Hollywood entourage.

"Charlie Boy! I told you that the red stuff stayed on the inside." Spike said, moving over towards one of the few men he'd ever trust at his back, and threw his arms around him in a manly hug.

Gunn smiled, hugging him back for a moment and hitting him on the back, to make it even more "manly." "So ya said so ya said. At least I got a cute chick saving my behind this time instead of you." Letting go of Spike as they both laughed, "So what it is what it… Whoa… okay we got new people." Then noticing Wesley, "And, yea not EVEN gonna ask about that."

"Gunn." Angel walked up to him shaking his hand, not able to show as much hug-ness as Spike. "This is Giles and Andrew, Xander went to go and get some food. If it wasn't for them coming, you'd still be upstairs." Angel seemed faintly uncomfortable, but shook his hand with a gentle strength before letting it go.

"Cool with me man, I ain't gonna shun away no extra help." Gunn gesticulated before he would wave his hand at Giles and Andrew. "Hello, I'm Charles Gunn and until a couple of days ago I was one bad ass lawyer, now I'm just badass. Y'all can just call me Gunn or Mr. Pimpsalot." He grinned.

"Nice to meet you Gunn." Giles would give a small nod of his head while pinching the bridge of his nose. "We ah, are glad to have helped you." He looked somewhat guilty for some reason.

"Likewise." Andrew said while he was busy typing on something in his laptop.

"Hey kiddo." Gunn would move over ruffling Connor's hair. "What you doing here? Shouldn't you be like... Studying for class or something?"

Connor batted his hand away. "No, I'm not going back to school."

"You're what!" Angel turned around, looking at Connor. "Oh no no, you're going back to school, this isn't your life."

"And now starts round two, or is it three?" Spike asked Kaya quietly who was once more looking over a map.

"I think it's more like four." Kaya replied, glancing up to the blonde vampire with a smirk.

Gunn moving over towards the two and sat down, "Let me guess lots of arguing going on today?"

"That'd be an understatement of the century, mate." Spike glanced towards Gunn a moment, shrugging his shoulders.

Willow, with the help of Lorne would move over towards Giles and Wesley and slowly sit down while father and son had a verbal sparring match.

"Angel, this IS my life. How can I go back living with my adopted parents knowing what's out there!" Connor, getting angry, showing some of his old biting nature side as his eyes narrowed upon his father.

"By letting us do it son, and you having a normal life." Angel's words were quiet, pleading with the boy that he had somehow given life to, at least helped give life to.

"No way! You can't expect me to just sit around knowing what's going on and not helping."

"Yes, I can."

"No, you can't."

"Yes, I can."

"No you can't."

Angel threw up his hands, and turning away from his son. "I'm not going to argue about this now."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

Both taking steps away from one another, looking rather angry.

"I hate to ask, however… Has anyone seen Illyria?" Wesley asked after putting down one of the books he had been going through.

--

_Courtyard of the Hyperion_

_--_

Illyria sat once more by the fountain that seemed to bring her such peace, such calmness. Trying to focus on not feeling the emotions and the confusion that were coursing through her, however it was proving to be futile. The confusion was lingering, it was a human emotion, and all of them were in fact. Something not for the likes of Illyria who at one time considered humans to be the much beneath her feet, nothing more but something that stank and shined.

A wracking pain cracked through her head, as visions of another life, another person seemed to try and invade. She could see the Burkle's, the parents of the vessel known as Fred, singing and holding the hands of a young girl child. She then could see them weeping as that young girl child drove off in a Gremlin heading to college. The vessel's first kiss with Gunn, her first kiss with Wesley, the excitement of seeing Angel after he had returned from his long sabbatical, the fear of being alone, all if it came flooding in, invading where it was not welcome. Illyria let out a loud yell of pain.

"Stop! You do not exist anymore!" She called out, to the person who no longer walked this earth. "This is not your body!"

The pain however would not subside, and neither would the emotions and memories that came through, as if some sort of barrier or dam had broken allowing them all to pass. Her hands fell to the rim of the fountain, her strength causing the concrete to gently crack, until even her strength seemed to be draining away from her. Falling to her knees, Illyria's eyes shut tightly, as tears of pain streamed down her face. Not just the physical pain that was rocketing through her head, but the emotional pain that was not her own.

"Stop!" She begged in a moment of weakness.

The pain did slowly subside, as Illyria turned her head and wretched against the concrete.

--

_Foyer of the Hyperion_

_­­_--

"Any information that we have at the building in England is now at your fingertips." Andrew mentioned to Wesley as he slid the laptop over with a smile. "I have… connections." He would bow his head, as if it would impress the ex-Watcher, though he did seem to be thankful.

Angel blinked a few times, arching an eyebrow, and turning to look around. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what Angelface?" Lorne asked looking up from his Seabreeze he was sipping on. It seemed if someone would cut open Lorne, it'd be exactly that… A Seabreeze that trickled out.

"Someone yelled." He looked around curiously for a moment, heading in the direction he thought he heard it from.

Spike stood up, beginning to follow him, the same was said for Gunn, and even Connor was heading in that direction. Angel turning to look at Connor about to tell him to stay back, but he saw that determination in his eyes that made him proud. Instead his eyes would turn towards Kaya. "Make sure everything is all right in here." Turning to look at Wesley, Giles, Willow, and Andrew, "And you keep your eyes on those books."

With the orders given by the broody en-souled vampire, the four began to move towards the door that led into the courtyard, where he had heard the yell coming from, moving with a definite purpose, as did the others. Each one was on guard, waiting to see what was behind the door, waiting for it to be another evil that they'd have to face, secretly each one hoping it would be.

-_-_

_Hyperion Courtyard_

_--_

As the four entered the courtyard, they could see nothing was amiss. It was silent, and nothing was moving. Not even a breeze to stir the still water of the fountain. Taking a few more steps out from the door, slowly they began to look around from their vantage point.

"Man, are you sure that you didn't just think you heard something?" Gunn asked Angel.

"Yea Peaches, I don't see anythin' out here." Spike agreed as he began to move towards the fountain, glancing around.

"You have been kind of stressed today, Angel." Connor added.

The en-souled vampire was still quiet, as he furrowed his eyebrows and began to look around. He knew what he had heard, there was no way he could have been imagining it. He had become attuned to yells of either help or anger over the years.

"No… I heard it." Angel's words were quiet, watching as the others were spreading out with the precision of the Champions of Good, warriors. Something did not settle well with him.

--

_Hyperion Hotel Foyer_

_--_

Wesley was sitting and working on the laptop that Andrew had given him, absolutely amazed with all the information that he had. It shouldn't surprise him; however it was like a fish back into water after so long. Studying, researching, investigating in the ways he knew how. He at one time would have been the Council's golden boy, but then Faith had ruined that. She had ruined many things, yet he couldn't find it in himself to hate her. She had atoned for her sins, and now he had to atone for many sins he had created himself.

Andrew was studying the girl known as Kaya, who was unbelievably verbose, and far too violent. Finally, he spoke. "So if you're a Slayer, where is your Watcher?"

Kaya blinked a few times; looking up from the phonebook she was poring over for a moment, and shrugged. "Don't know that's what I'm trying to find out. Eric's been gone since the shit went down last night." Not thinking that he was implying she wasn't what she said she was.

Lorne however picked up on it without a hesitation. "Kaya's Watcher is a good guy; even if he's impossibly stick up the butt type. Is that a perquisite for a Watcher?" He asked Giles, looking over to him.

Giles smirked and set down the book he was looking over. "Well, it seems to be the case, however it's not always as it seems." He turned to look at Kaya. "What is your Watcher's last name?"

"Carington." She looked back down to the phonebook. "Or at this moment. Mr. Invisible arg!" she threw the book down and stood up.

"I am sure he'll turn up… If he's real." Andrew stated to the Slayer.

Her eyes narrowed and she began to stalk towards him.

"Eric is very real. I recall seeing him a few times at the annual gathering of the Council." Giles would speak quickly, seeing the angered gleam in Kaya's eye.

"Righty-o, I would suggest uhm… separate corners, I don't want to see the floor getting wiped up with Andrew." Willow murmured softly.

"I don't know, I think it might be rather amusing." Wesley would murmur just as quietly as he continued to go through the ancient texts that were in electronic form.

Willow and Lorne share a humored look.

Giles standing up to intercept the blonde Slayer. "He didn't mean to insinuate that Eric wasn't real. –Were- you Andrew?" Giles asked, implying that he should say no he wasn't implying.

"Look at her Giles, if anything she has the same makings of a Rogue Slayer, just like Faith." Andrew said quietly.

Wesley shook his head, ignoring what was being said, less he wished to put his fist through the young man's face himself.

"Right, how about we keep comments like THOSE to ourselves puss, otherwise it's going to turn ugly again." Lorne quipped before taking a drink from his Seabreeze.

Kaya's eyes narrowed in anger, before she moved over towards the steps slowly, limping just faintly before she'd sit down on them and away from those who seemed to just push her buttons.

--

_Hyperion Courtyard_

_--_

Spike turned, walking backwards as he talked to Angel. "I don't think you heard anything Peaches, I think it might just be the stress finally settling in on ya." And as he walked backwards he tripped over something on the ground. As he was able to catch himself before he fell, he turned around and saw Illyria passed out on the ground.

"Oh bloody hell." He muttered under his breath, and crouched down, checking to make sure that she was still breathing, and that's when a massive hand came up and wrapped around his throat.

As Spike struggled against the hand, Illyria stood up looking like a veritably pissed off female. "What is it you have done to me?" Her tone was accusatory, the way she had been when Angel had time traveled with her somehow when her powers were going to kill her before.

"Illyria let him go!" Angel called out as he began to stride towards her.

"Homegirl done snapped again." Gunn muttered, giving a half smirk and heading to follow behind Gunn.

"Uh… looks more pissed off than the Slayer." Connor murmured walking alongside Gunn.

To Angel, Spike, and Gunn this was all too familiar with Illyria, all too scarily familiar. She had gone on a rampage once before in Wolfram and Hart, trying to destroy the entire Fang Gang, and then in turn would destroy the downtown area if not all of LA. Though her powers had been dampened so she could survive… It didn't stop her from being strong, fast, and not an even match for Spike.

"Illyria we haven't done anything to you! We're your friends! Let Spike go!" Angel yelled at the blue haired Power that Was. He was slowly moving towards her.

Illyria was backing up, still holding onto Spike like she was. "That is a lie, you must have done something. The pain is far too great for it to be a wound from battle."

Angel's eyebrows furrowed, he glanced to Spike who attempted to shrug his shoulders then looking to Connor and Gunn before looking back to Illyria. "We've not done anything to you Illyria, we wouldn't want to." His voice now pleading, "we're you're friends. Let Spike go, please."

A stabbing pain hit Illyria once more, and it was not her, it was not the Old God that dropped Spike rather quickly, she had done it, but it was not her. She cried out in pain and fell to her knees as she held her head. "Make it stop! Please! Make it stop!" That voice was not her own, it did not sound truly like the cold emotionless Illyria, there was pleading there…

Angel's eyes went wide as he watched, unable to take another step forward.

--

_Higher Plane_

_--_

"Can we say total meltdown?" Cordelia rolled her eyes.

"Gotta say, I'm lucky I never met that woman." Doyle gave a nod of agreement to her.

"Yea, me too… You would think that with how sweet Fred was, she wouldn't be such a total bitch. Then again when I turned evil I wasn't exactly myself either."

"You weren't? OUCH! Hey don't hit me!"

--

_Hyperion Foyer_

_--_

The sound of the door opening from the courtyard with a loud bang garnered everyone's attention, Wesley rising as he saw Angel carrying in Illyria who was unconscious for the moment. He set her down on one of the couches, and then would look towards the others. "I think we may have a small problem."

"What happened?" Wesley asked, moving over towards Illyria and checking to make sure she was still alive, however Angel stopped him before he could touch her.

"Illyria attacked Spike, she's sick… Somehow." However, Angel was hesitant to bring up what else happened… Unfortunately Gunn didn't realize it.

"She begged to make the pain stop, pleaded." Gunn was still unsure about that, he had known Illyria, as well as any of the others, and it just did not seem like something the big blue wonder would do.

Wesley turned to look up at Angel. Not asking, though looking for confirmation.

With a small nod of his head, Angel moved to sit down; Spike was slowly brought in by Connor and set down in a chair. "Do you think it's possible…" Angel started to ask quietly, trailing off as he knew that there was no hope of it. Illyria had even said so herself. Fred's soul had been obliterated.

"Think it's possible for what?" Willow asked, moving towards the others now, looking to the un-moving body, then back to Angel. "Possible for what?"

"That Fred's soul has not been destroyed, as we had once thought." Wesley's words were quiet, as his eyes were fixated upon Illyria.

"That's great!" Willow exclaimed, though as no one seemed to share her enthusiasm. "Isn't it?" She turned, looking to the others.

None could meet the redhead's exuberance, or her gaze. Each one unable to look upon the Witch, not wishing to feel the hope that she felt, not wishing to be let down once more. The one who looked the most grief stricken was Wesley as he felt the tears burning into his eyes.

Willow speaking softly, more imploring. "Isn't it?" She looked around for some form of hope, some sort of affirmation, but all that was given was Lorne clearing his throat… Nothing else.

The front door to the Hyperion Hotel opened, the silence still deafening, as Xander carried in four bags full of hot greasy goodness food. "I brought a little bit of everything, wasn't sure what everyone… Wanted." He finished as he noticed all the long drawn out faces, as well as Willow close to tears. He set down the food quickly and moved over to his best friend, putting an arm around her. "What's the matter Will?" His eyes looking over everyone curiously, "What happened?"

Angel spoke quietly, holding his head in his hands. "Nothing happened." Dropping his hands down, he stood up. "That's exactly it, nothing...happened."

"Then why the hell is my friend on the verge of tears!" Xander demanded.

"Stop Xander, it's not their fault." Willow whispered softly to her one eyed friend.

"I'm sick and tired of everyone always saying it's not their fault. Angel kills a butt ton of people, but hey it's not his fault. Spike tries to rape Buffy but hey not his fault! They BOTH break hearts and cause problems that we have to clean up. When is it GOING to be their fault Willow!" Xander's anger coming to the forefront.

Spike and Angel both flinching at the angered words, though neither one of them able to deny their deeds done in the past, neither of them wishing to, knowing the truth of it. Xander was truly right about it all; they had both done things that were unforgivable.

"Xander, I don't believe this is the time or the place to be talking about it." Giles warned in his stern tone. "I believe someone said it the best not too long ago, the past is just that, the past."

Xander was left with a gaping mouth, as Kaya had moved over towards the food and began to go through it, not even seeming to relish in the fact that the stuck up British guy had used her phrase from when she had yelled at them earlier. "Score, we got french fries AND onion rings." She grabbed up the food and began to pass it around to those she knew could eat it.

Xander broke away from Willow and moved to sit down by himself for a while. He couldn't bear to listen to everyone, including Giles, stand up for the two who had caused them all the most problems.

As soon as Xander moved away from Willow, Spike stood up and took hold of Willow's shoulder and directed her to sit back down. Sitting down beside her, he began to speak quietly to the Witch who was having trouble not being sad.

"What do you think?" Angel asked Wesley quietly, who hadn't moved from Illyria's side.

Wesley glanced up at Angel, and he shrugged his shoulders a little bit, before speaking, "Frankly Angel, I'm not sure about a lot of things, this included. I…cannot bring myself to hope, only to…loose it again."

Angel put his hand onto Wesley's shoulder gently and squeezed very softly. Commiserating with his friend about a loss that affected him just as well, perhaps not as deeply; but just as well; Angel had lost too many friends over the years. It was beginning to wear on him.

A voice from behind them seemed to startle them out of their shared silence, a silence that was neither uncomfortable nor tense, but tainted with sadness. "Uh, hate to break up the male bonding going on, but do you want a veggie hot dog, veggie burger or one of the real things with the works on it?" Kaya gave a faint little smile towards Wesley. "Oh and I guess even if the Plisken wanna-be doesn't like you, there's some O-positive for you and Spike." Glancing towards Angel a moment, not understanding what the two men were going through.

Kaya would motion for them both to come to her, and her not go to them. She may not seem to understand what they were doing, but once again open books were a bitch, she just had to read them. As soon as Angel and Wesley got to her, she turned and limped towards the table that had the food; it wasn't a pronounced limp, but it was proof that she favored that leg well enough.

"Actually, no matter what… you're getting a real burger, you look thin." Kaya handed the burger to Wesley and then the blood to Angel. "And you need to eat before you decide one of us looks like a snack cracker."

"Your leg's still bothering you." Wesley pointed out as he unwrapped the burger, lifting up the bun to look to see what was on it, before putting it back together and taking a bite.

Shrugging as she popped a few fries in her mouth, wiping the grease on her pants and swallowing the fries before speaking. "It's always bothering me. Wouldn't be so bad if I had my brace but… When the apocalypse is coming, you don't exactly get a chance to pack the toiletries. Just the important stuff."

"If your brace isn't important, than what is?"

"Axe… stakes…sword… hairspray. Important stuff." Grinning, she handed him a bag of french fries.

Angel chuckled softly, and glanced at Wesley. "Remind you of anyone?"

Wesley could only nod at that. He hoped to all things holy, and perhaps even unholy that Kaya Jordan would not walk down the same road as Faith did. She found her redemption, but… Wesley would see to it Kaya would never need to.

"Well whoever I remind you of, can't be as good as me. Anyways, eat up. First real meal I'm sure some of you have had for a while, plus it sure as hell beats that stuff in the fridge… That's just gross, it had hair."

"Hey, Angel... Can we talk?" Connor asked behind him. "Please?"

Angel turned around, looking towards his son for a moment. "Sure son."

"Private please?" Connor moved towards the door that led to the Courtyard of the Hyperion. Angel slowly followed, after glancing towards Kaya and Wesley for a moment.

Kaya finished the hamburger she was eating, before looking at Wesley for a moment, then speaking softly. "You know… I thought my family was dysfunctional, but I think they get the award for that."

"You do not even know the half of it." He smiled at the young Slayer.

--

_Hyperion Courtyard_

_--_

"What is it you wanted to talk about son?" Angel moved to sit down on the edge of the fountain looking up at the young man that was his child. Reminded of when he held him in his arms, when he vowed to protect him against the evils of the world, reminded of how he was stolen from him… How he returned and tried to kill him, how he tried to ruin his life… How much hate he had for him. How he had tried to give him a new life.

"I want to talk to you about me not going back to college." He sat down beside him. "I know you don't want me to stay around, I know you want me to stay far away from this as absolutely possible. But I just can't. I know what's going on, and now that I do… I have to think about my parents." Looking over to him.

Angel frowned, shaking his head.

--

_Hyperion Foyer_

--

Spike and Willow were sitting down and still talking quietly.

"I'd appreciate it a lot if you could. I owe her one ya know?" Spike looked into Willow's eyes for a long moment. "I wouldn't be askin' if I didn't think it was important."

Willow seemed to mull over whatever it was that Spike wanted her to do. He seemed to have become mellower since he was brought back to life. It seemed to have made him appreciate what others had done for him. If only Buffy could see him now. However Buffy was stuck so far up the Immortals behind it didn't seem like she'd be seen any time soon. When she got told that they were going to Los Angeles, she just said to have a good time. As if it didn't matter. "I'll see what I can do." Smiling to Spike. "Hey you can always count on me, Witchy Willow."

--

_Hyperion Courtyard_

_--_

"Connor, son… I don't think it'd be a good idea. I want you to be safe."

"And I want my parents to be safe too Angel. I want my adopted parents to be safe… And you." Giving his dad a faint smile. "I can't make sure you're safe if I'm not here now can I?"

Angel blinked, stunned by what his son had just said.

"What? Don't look shocked, it's not like I'm talking about selling my soul to the devil or anything, but I mean it's a family business right? Helping the helpless? I can do that, I know how to do that."

"But what about college, I thought you had big plans."

"Nah, I had big plans to date a few co-eds but other than for that I was still unsure what I wanted to do with my life."

"So this is what you want to do?"

"Consider it… Exploring my options."

Angel gave his son a smile, and put his arm around him, giving him a hug. "You make me proud."

"Yea… " Embarrassed, he hugged his dad back. "Besides, that Slayer chick is smoking."

Laughing at that profession, Angel just shook his head. "You're more like me than you will ever know. She's even blonde."

--

_Hyperion Foyer_

_--_

Willow slowly stood up after she checked the map she had just used a locator spell on, and slowly began to walk towards Kaya. Spike stood up and began to walk behind her.

"So yea, Lorne made me sing. One and only time I'll ever sing Elvis in front of others." She made a face, making a joke of herself to get Wesley to laugh. As she glanced up noticing that Spike and Willow were coming towards them. "Looks like they're about to pull you away from my bad joke torture."

"Actually no luv, we've come to tell ya we got ya a surprise." Spike said with a smile.

Kaya arched an eyebrow, looking to the witch then to the vampire, then back to the witch. "Oh?"

"Indeedly do, we found your Watcher." Beaming with a smile that lit up Willow's entire face, she added. "He's not too far from here."

"You did! That's great! Where?" Already moving to get her things, absolutely adulated about hearing about Eric.

"About seven blocks south of here."

"Sweet, I'll only be a little bit then, and you guys can meet him. He's awesome, sometimes kind of stoic but then again I think that's just being British." She would grin lightly, seemingly to be in higher spirits by the minute.

"I think it'd be good if you took some people along, just in case." Willow mentioned softly. "There were also locators of demons in the vicinity so it'd be good to have backup just in case."

"Sure, no problem." She then would turn, clearing her throat. "Okay, who wants to go with me to go get my Watcher?"

Giles shook his head. "I would offer, however I think I should get back to the books. Do tell Eric we have much catching up with though please."

Kaya's eyes totally went over Andrew even though he had his hand raised. Looking towards Lorne a moment, she grinned motioning with her head to join her.

"Count me out cookie, I'm going to stick around here and tend to the dust bunnies, it's a mess. I hate cleaning but I think my allergies are about to kill me."

"Well now you don't need to ask me. Kicking it with my homegirl, getting a little somethin' somethin' going on with the demon butt kicking, oh yea, you know it I am down." Gunn said as he dropped his bag of food on the table and began to walk over.

"So am I luv, need to get out of here, and might be a little therapeutic too." Spike was moving to get his coat.

"I'll stay with Giles and work on the research. Wesley, maybe you should go. It'd do you some good to get out for a bit." Willow glanced to the Watcher who had been chewing on a few french fries.

"Right, I can do that. After all I am a rogue demon slayer." He winked to Gunn as he stood up.

"And I think we'll leave Xander behind, just so he doesn't start arguing with Spike." Kaya mused over that as she glanced around for a moment, before she began to head towards the door. "Save a burger, Eric's more than likely going to be starving, oh and put some tea on please?" She was literally vibrating with the hyperness that seemed to invade her senses after she heard about Eric.

The three men stood up and followed behind Kaya out of the front door of the Hyperion Hotel, to go and get the Watcher that seemed to mean so much to the Slayer. All in better spirits, for some it was just being able to get away from the hanging tension that seemed to lurk in the hotel. For others it was seeing their friend be so happy, and for even others it was the chance to go and kick some ass.

"Good luck kiddies." Lorne called after them.

--

_Hyperion Hotel_

_--_

Connor and Angel slowly stood up and began to head back into the hotel a few minutes after the others had left, they were joking and play fighting, giving each other barbs that at one time would more than likely upset the other.

Connor was the first one to notice that they were short quite a few people.

"Where did everyone go?" He asked, looking over towards Lorne, as he was one of the only original members of the crew that was left in the foyer.

"They went to go and find Kaya's Watcher." Lorne answered before he began to turn over the few pieces of furniture that hadn't been turned over just yet.

"She found him?" Angel asked surprised.

"No, Willow did." Giles answered, looking up from the laptop.

"That's great. Willow seems you're just a miracle worker today huh?" Angel gibed gently.

"Yea… I guess so." Her voice soft as she was looking over an old book, however she was not looking up on how to revive Eve, but to restore Fred's soul. "Least I can do and all." Something catching her eye as she picked up the book and began to read more thoroughly.

--

_Outside the Hyperion Hotel_

--

The four adults walked down the sidewalk, the night sky was littered with what seemed to be a thousand stars, all shining brightly, seemingly shining for them. Brightness in the darkness, a metaphor for each one of their lives, as each one was touched and tainted with darkness. However, there was a light that also touched and blessed them, fighting that darkness.

For Spike it was the hope to one day become human. He still held onto the belief somewhere in the back of his mind that he could achieve his Shanshu. But not only that, it was the fact that he was able to walk down this very sidewalk with two of the best mates anyone could ever ask for. Who would have ever thought he would consider Wesley a best mate, yet he did.

For Gunn it was the fact that he knew where he belonged finally. It wasn't in some courtroom, where he was one of the sleaziest S.O.B's around, even if he was good at his job. It was right here, protecting the people of Los Angeles with a family he thought he'd never have after his sister Alonna had died. Not only that, but now his other sister was here; Kaya. It was as if he were being given a second chance to right his wrongs, and he wasn't going to be giving that up any time soon.

Wesley now was another story, the darkness was looming over him so much, and it was almost choking him. However, tonight, when Angel had explained to him what happened to Illyria he had begun to think once more, hope once more that he would be able to see his Fred; and not have it be in some heavenly plane but here on Earth. He told Angel he couldn't bear the pain of loosing that chance; however it had already implanted itself in his heart, and he was going to cling to it. He just needed to find out if it were possible, and if so what he could do. Not only that, but this felt right. Being back with everyone once more, he had been robbed of his afterlife, but in a way perhaps the Powers That Be knew that he was needed here and the threat wasn't true. Not that he was going to chance it.

Kaya's darkness wasn't as evident as the other's, nor was her light. Her darkness was herself, the feelings that were so ingrained within her, and her penchant to be reckless. She was at times her own worst enemy, and even her Watcher had said so. When she failed in her job and her duty as a Slayer, it affected her deeply; pushing herself in the next fight, even if it could cause her death. However, her light was in the people around her. She found hope in them, each and every single one of them. She watched from the sidelines since she had met them; and she saw their strength and that gave her strength. She saw their hope, and it became her hope. Her light was her friends, even if she had just met them.

-----

_However, no matter how much light a person had in their life, it couldn't always fight back the darkness that threatened and loomed in the horizon, especially for those who lived like these four did, like they all did. Pain and death was as much a part of their life as living and breathing. Trials and tribulations were something that they would all go through, it would never stop. And as time goes on, sometimes…_

_That light may seem too far away. _


	8. Chapter 8

--

_Seven Blocks South of the Hyperion Hotel_

_--_

"So you see… Some people are meant to live and others are meant to die. Guess which one you are." The brunette woman who seemed to be a real ball breaker stared into the eyes of the man. A cocky smirk played along her lips and the dark green scarf around her throat brought out the gold flecks in her eyes.

"Go to hell you bitch!" The man yelled into her face with defiance. He was trapped, trapped to a wall; not like it would do much good even if he wasn't; his body broken beyond all repair.

"Oh ho sorry been there, done that have the t-shirt –and- the coffee mug. Though I do have to say Mr. Carington, if the rest of the British populous had the same tenacity you did… Well we'd still be under English rule." She grinned lightly, taking a few steps towards him. "But… It wouldn't matter anyways, you'd still be about to die."

"I don't see where killing me will do you any good. She didn't need me before; she won't need me now. You can't break her, can't turn her. You'll only piss her off more."

The woman laughed. "Well you see Mr. Carington, my employers don't care what it does as long as it's done. She helped ruin their plans and thought they should return the gesture. So have a nice afterlife." The woman turned and began to walk away as two large vampires stepped towards him about to bring in the killing blow.

"You better pray after she kills you; we don't meet in the afterlife!" He yelled after her.

Laughing under her breath as her feet carried her away. "I'm already dead, idiot."

An anguished cry of pain and then silence is all that was returned.

--

_Hyperion Hotel_

_--_

"Did someone bump the map?" Willow raised her head to look at the others after looking at the parchment.

"No one's been moving but me sweet pea and my loafers haven't taken me over there. Why what's the haps?" Lorne asked looking over towards the growingly distraught witch.

Giles set down his book as did Andrew their attention solely placed on Willow. Noticing the fear in her eyes, the stood up quickly.

"Will?" Xander asked, worriedly.

Swallowing, Willow re-did the locater spell. Several red lights showed up, four yellow lights close to them, yet no vibrant white lights appeared, though there were several faded lights here and there. The lights all represented different beings. Demons, humans, champions… The target of the spell should have been in a bright white light, however, there wasn't one. "He… He… His light's not showing up!" Staring at the map in shock. "It should be showing up!"

"Who's light?" Angel asked as he looked to Willow curiously.

"Eric's… Kaya's Watcher. Meaning either he's been placed under some form of anti-scrying incantation…" Rupert so readily offered the information though trailing off.

"Or he's dead." Willow murmured very gently.

--

_Five Blocks South of the Hyperion_

_--_

"Gunn, I must say mate you have –the- luckiest streak when it comes to rescuing females." Spike murmured to Charles as they walked a few paces from Kaya and Wesley.

"Really? Naah. Anyone saving Kaya is definitely… Wait… Hold up. You're not thinking of macking on her are you?" That protective streak in Gunn seeming to rear up as he stopped walking, holding his arm out to stop Spike as well.

Spike shook his head quickly. "No. No! No more blonde Slayers for this vampire thank you very much. I mean… Well she comes to help you. End of the world and there she was saving you. And afterwards, started saving a few others too."

Gunn grinned. "Yea… well it's my influence on her what can I say?"

Kaya walked along quietly with Wesley before she almost tripped over the long legs of Angel's pants. Giving a disgruntled look over towards Wesley, "I think after we go and get Eric, I need to go and find something that may actually fit me. I feel like I'm swimming in these."

"You know, I always thought Angel wore a smaller size than he does apparently." Wesley chuckled faintly. "Either that or you're the first non graceful Slayer I've ever seen."

"Oh hey, now I take extreme resentment to that remark! I used to be a cheerleader, for your information." Grinning at the ex Watcher.

"You? Well… It does somewhat make sense. It seems to be a perquisite, much like a stick being firmly placed in the backside of every Watcher, and some form of accent." Giving the blonde a wry grin as they got closer to their destination he shrugged his shoulders as she laughed in amusement.

Spinning around and walking backwards, looking back at Spike and Gunn, Kaya grinned. "Yo, Gunn; you should take lessons from your friend, he's actually funny." Waggling her eyebrows at her long time friend and one time savior, grinning the entire time like the cat that ate the cream.

"Oh girl that is harsh, you make my soul cry. Gets me right here." Pounding onto his chest with a fist, as Spike nudged him and Kaya spun right back around and she slowed in her steps glancing around for a moment.

"What's she doin'?" Spike asked quietly.

Wesley supplying the answer, "Looking for any form of ambush it seems."

Making sure the coast was clear Kaya began walking once more, each man able to notice an abrupt change in her demeanor as their destination was right around the corner.

--

_Hyperion Foyer_

_--_

"Think it could be a trap?" Angel mused as he looked over the map for a moment, there seemed to be quite a few bright red lights. "I mean, that's a lot of demons."

"I don't know Angel, it's not like they'd know that we're here. And I doubt demons are stupid enough to think that Slayers equip their Watcher's with homing beacons… Though now that I think about it, that's not a bad idea. I mean seriously, think about it, two way beacons, and never loose your Slayer or Watcher again." Andrew began to ramble about such a novel idea, while Angel ignored him, turning to look at Giles and the others.

"It's possible Angel, however… There's no way we could make it there before they enter the alley. A few of us could go and give backup if it's needed, even if it's slightly late." Giles stood up, putting his glasses back on.

Angel looked over every single person that was still available to go on this sort of thing. He didn't have much faith in Andrew, and Lorne didn't like fighting; it was evident. Those two were definitely out. His eyes glancing over towards Willow who looked worried and worn out all at once, she too would be left behind. It only left Giles, Xander, and Connor.

"All right, Giles, Connor, and Xander, come with me. And if you don't want to come Xander, I can understand." He moved to get his coat and grab an axe that he'd be able to hide within the folds.

Xander looked up for a moment, as if to argue, then he noticed the insistent look on Willow's face and that's all it took; he stood up and gave a nod. "Sure, all right. Why not, not the first time I've fought demons."

"We'll stick here Angel face in case they come in, and uuh… Well we don't have first aid kit anymore." Lorne fidgeted a moment. "Think nothing of it, I'll go down and get one from the local store." He was already moving towards the door.

"I'll try and keep looking through the books and keep an eye on Fre-… Illyria and Eve." Willow murmured as she rubbed at her eyes. "So will Andrew."

Echoing the words he said almost twenty-four hours prior, as he looked over the three that would be going with him. "Let's get to work."

--

_Seven Blocks South of the Hyperion_

--

As the four entered the mouth of the alley, they didn't see anyone or anything. Kaya took a few steps back, and glanced down the street, then across it, before looking to the other three for a moment with a furrow of her eyebrow.

"This is seven blocks right?" She asked the three of them, though Spike didn't seem to be paying attention.

"It is indeed, seven blocks south of the Hyperion, perhaps he's further in." Wesley glanced around, looking a bit alarmed.

"Right me and Spike…" Gunn trailed off as he noticed the blonde vampire moving through the alleyway slowly. "Will go and check it out…" He began to follow after the vampire, glancing around as he did so.

As Gunn and Spike got out of ear shot, the vampire's steps slowed so Gunn could catch up with him, as he spoke. "I smell blood." Looking over to Gunn adding, "Human blood."

"Where at?" Gunn asked, just as quietly, looking behind him over at Wesley and Kaya, before looking back to Spike. "Show me." There was intensity in his voice, and a slow cold dread spread over his body.

Spike and Gunn continued to move further into the alleyway, towards a fire escape that had a chain hanging from it. Blood was on the chain, and on the ground. "Bugger me." Spike whispered under his breath as he noticed something gleaming under the light that came from the street.

As Gunn crouched down, he pushed the newspaper away and saw the pale face of a man who was in his late thirties or maybe early forties staring ahead blankly, turning his head slowly Gunn noticed the bite marks of a vampire. Feeling for a pulse, a pulse he knew he'd not find there, he shut the man's eyes.

"What'd you guys find?!" Kaya called out as she began to move into the alley with Wesley not far behind her.

"We can't let her see him like this, if that's who it is." Spike whispered to Gunn.

"Stay back Kaya, just… stay back." Gunn warned the blonde Slayer as he turned to look at her, the light from the street illuminating her worried features.

The alarmed tone in Gunn's voice, the look on his face didn't cause her to stop however; it only caused her to quicken her pace into that of a jog so she would get to the other two. Wesley, right on her heels feared the worse.

Gunn stood up quickly, moving to intercept her. His hands coming up to stop her as he spoke quietly, "Kaya, don't." His voice stern, as he looked into her eyes.

Spike's head was bowed, his hands folded in front of him by the corpse.

"Gunn let me through!" She pushed against her friend, though he wrapped his arms around her tightly so she couldn't move, though it didn't stop her from trying to fight Gunn. Her voice, filled with pain and fright causing Gunn's eyes to close as he tried to hold onto her. "Please." She whispered, pleading to him.

Wesley's hand moved to Gunn's shoulder, as Gunn raised his head to look at the ex-Watcher, seeing the nod given to him, his arms slipped from around her body letting her go. He turned to watch her move over to the man's limp and lifeless body, saw her fall to her knees as tears rolled down her face, the bottom lip trembling. Watching as his "sister" broke in front of him and there was nothing he could do.

"She should be allowed to grieve." Wesley whispered softly.

--

_Six blocks south of the Hyperion_

--

As the four men moved down the sidewalk, the nightlife of Los Angeles seemed to be subdued somehow. Everyone moving almost at a lethargic pace, or it could be that they were walking rather quickly to get to where they knew the others were at. They moved with a purpose, a goal. The goal and purpose was to make sure that they could give their friends and allies back up if it were needed. Or if it was a false alarm, to help bring in a Watcher who's knowledge could definitely be useful. Each one hoping somewhere in the back of their mind it was just a false alarm.

Angel glanced over towards Rupert Giles, who was amazingly quiet. "So… Listen, I wanted to tell you…" He began, though somehow couldn't find the words that needed to be said at that moment. "What I mean to say is…" Once again the words just didn't seem to come out even though the en-souled brooding vampire tried.

"Right, I couldn't have said it better myself." Giles replied in that dry British way that he had always been known for.

Angel gave an uneasy smile to the man, as he glanced back over his shoulder at Connor and Xander. Both were quietly taking in the sights of Los Angeles, the cars driving by, the people they passed. His son had been given a chance not to deal with this, not to deal with the world that Angel walked in nightly that for all intents and purposes shouldn't have been able to step out of last night. None of them should have, yet somehow through luck and the Powers That Be stepping in; they did. Xander, now he was surprising in and of itself. He could never remember that sort of anger coming from the brown haired clown before. It was as if something had taken hold of him, wrung out all the humor within him and left him filled with only a quiet anger.

"Right we're coming up to the alley where Willow said they would be at." Giles spoke, breaking Angel out of his thoughts and his reverie.

"Stick together; we don't know what will be going down when we get in there. We don't leave anyone behind." Angel spoke to the three of them, in a steady tone.

"Yea, tell us something we don't know Angel." Xander said with a roll of his eye.

Slowly they rounded the corner into the alley.

--

_Seven Blocks South of the Hyperion – Alley_

_--_

The three men were silent as they watched Kaya crying. Each one of them unable to find any words to say to comfort the blonde woman as she wept, however when asked later on what had happened, none of them would be able to state that she had sobbed; as she cried silently in her grief.

Kaya's thoughts were vacant at that moment, filled only with sadness that was turning into a burning rage that was taking her over. She blamed herself for his death, if she hadn't just gone running off the night before to help out Lorne, to help supposedly save the world, Eric would still be alive. One of the few people left in this world who still gave a damn about her. Instead she got caught up in the worlds worst drama, got caught up in lives that weren't her own, that didn't need to be her own. Because of her own need to save people, she hadn't been able to save one of the few who mattered to her. It was her fault he was laying there lifeless, drained of his blood.

Her hands rolled into fists against Eric's cold body, as she closed her eyes, her jaw clenching. She could feel her anger welling up inside of her, needing an escape.

"Kaya, come on." Gunn's voice was soft. "We should go."

Kaya turned around, slowly standing up. "We?!... We?! There is no we, Gunn." Shaking her head in disbelief; "No. I'm not going anywhere with any of you." Her tone far too calm, making Gunn uneasy. "I am not going back there and getting stuck in that fucking drama! It's not mine, and it wasn't my fight last night! If it hadn't been for me running off and playing hero, Eric would still be alive." She turned and began to walk away.

Spike reached out, grabbing her shoulder, only a moment later he found himself on his back after Kaya flipped him over and she began to run away, trying to out run the pain and anger that was coursing through her.

"Kaya!" Gunn yelled to her back, about to take off after her. Until he felt a hand on his shoulder, making him stop.

"She needs time and she needs space Gunn." Wesley's voice was soft; however there was a worried overtone to it.

As Spike stood up, he turned and saw four people coming towards them. He sighed, shaking his head. "Great, just great; Peaches and the gang are here." He lit up a Lucky Strike and wiped his hands on his pants afterwards. "What should we do with her Watcher?" He asked Gunn and Wesley.

"We should bury him." Wesley thought about this for a moment, as he turned to look at Angel and the others coming in ear shot distance. "We… were too late."

Gunn was silent, as he looked down the alleyway, the direction that Kaya had gone. Worried about his friend, upset that they hadn't gotten there in time to save someone who seemed so important to her, after all, Spike said it… She saved him last night and others today somehow.

"What are you all doing here anyways?" Spike asked around his cigarette.

"We were afraid it was a trap; there were demon counters up and showing that they were around this area. Thought we could help. No signs of any demons or anything?" Angel asked after he looked over Eric's body a moment.

"Nah haven't seen any demons." Gunn replied quietly, as he moved to pick up Eric's body, pausing for a moment to turn to the others. "We can't exactly carry his body back to the hotel."

Before anyone could answer, the sound of dual growls could be heard coming from both sides of them. As they looked around, they could spot four vampires walking towards them slowly along with two large red skinned demons.

"Well… guess those were the demon counters." Wesley said quietly, as they all took defensive stances.

--

_Somewhere in L.A._

--

Lindsey McDonald slowly walked down the sidewalk, ignoring the faces of the people he passed. He was always good at that, ignoring the world if he needed to; just to escape. Escape, it seems that's all he's been doing since he was born, running away from problems by either ignoring them or totally leaving them behind.

Except a person can't out run their memories, can't escape their own mind.

_I guess I oughta tell you what's been going on…Well I've been chasing dreams for everyone but me…When your heart is filled with misery…It's hard to find the energy…To remember just how much she means to me._

He had been about seven or eight when his baby sister and little brother had passed away that winter, and then later on that very same year, his father had lost the farm. He remembered when he would crawl into the lap of his mother before she too got sick, and she'd tell him everything would be all right. Everything would be okay, though they never did. He and what was left of his family were moved from town to town when his father's schemes would fall through.

_Well I keep everything inside so long till it burns…Everybody stokes the fire and the walls get a little higher…I light the candle at both ends…And I hit the gas, the wheels start to spin…But she's always there to catch me when I fall._

When Lindsey got the scholarship to Hastings College, he took it without looking back at what was left of his family, of his life. His mother had been buried the year before, his father had never crawled out of the bottle, and his siblings had all been taken to different foster homes. He had no family left, no strings, so taking the old beat up Ford that was his father's, he left. Studying and working hard to put the past truly behind him, he wanted to be better, needed to have a better life than his father.

_Cause I've been hell on wheels for days now…There ain't a shade of red I can't paint…When the lights go down, she always helps me see._

When Holland Manners arrived in his life, his senior year in College, it was as if a prayer had been answered. Of course, it was starting at the very bottom in a mail room of a law firm but it was something! Something he could see, something he could grasp, and something he could cling to. Moreover it was a ladder he could climb. From the get-go he had ambition to make it to he top. When he graduated from college, once more he never looked back, leaving those friends and those few girlfriends behind in the rear view mirror and went out to LA.

_In the darkness a day will come…Another light for you to lean upon…But until then maybe your heart…Can rest in mine._

It didn't take too long for Lindsey to get the attention of the others in the law firm. The entire time he had been so focused on his career, he still had un-opened letters from his sister and from his brother. The only information he had from his home, was that his father had finally died, some type of heart attack or something, he never did end up going to the funeral. When he found out what was truly going on in Wolfram and Hart, it was far too late for him to turn back if he wanted to, but then again all he could see was the top of that ladder.

_I just can't get the hang of hanging on…Every time I try to grab it, the will is gone._

When he had finally made it, finally a practicing lawyer for the firm, he knew that he was going to be making something of himself. His first big client was Russell Winters a vampire and a big time client. Remembering how excited he had been to finally be there in the big picture, until Angel came crashing in and throwing his prized client out of a window. That wouldn't be the last time that the en-souled vampire would ruin his life.

_When she looks into my eyes…She sees a man she used to recognize…And not the stranger trying to go it all alone…_

He had tried to go good, he honestly had tried, when the Nanjin had been contracted to kill the three Seer children, he had sided with Angel, and that was going to be it. He was going to get out, but then he remembered how it was to be cold and hungry, going to bed and listening to the sickening thick coughs of his sister and his brother, watching his mother die of a broken heart and a sickness that seemed to eat at her from the inside, he couldn't do it. He had turned back to Wolfram and Hart, gaining a larger office, and sacrificing even more of him; though he didn't know it at the time. When he had lost his hand during the raising of Darla, he hadn't even thought a thing of it. It was just a hazard that came with his job.

_Maybe someday I'll see exactly what she sees in me…_

Darla, that woman had played him like a fine steel guitar. He had went against the firm, went against himself, went against everyone for her. He had thought if he did, maybe she would love him, they had so much in common; including the destruction of Angel, but that didn't even seem to matter. He had thought she saved him because she cared for him, until he saw that she had spared Lilah as well. It was all a ruse, a ploy… She had screwed him, by screwing Angel; then just left. He hadn't seen her ever again after that, but apparently, there was a good reason for that one. Once more Angel had ruined it all and somehow gotten Darla pregnant with Connor.

_Maybe someday I'll be exactly who she wants me to be…_

When it was all said and done and he had finally left LA, he and Angel had buried the hatchet, at least for that moment. As the long road stretched out in front of him, Lindsey traveled the country, and then further in a sudden wanderlust that he could never explain. Only now could he realize he was trying to find himself, and also run from the anger that didn't seem to ever abate.

_Maybe someday I'll have the strength to run into the man that I once was…_

Lindsey McDonald, the man who had fought tooth and nail to get to the top of that ladder was slowly crashing down; he had nothing to show for himself. He had stopped in Oklahoma to try and find his family, but that didn't happen; instead all he found was a tombstone that held the last remnants of his past. His mother and his father now both passed away. As he turned away with a dry eye, he felt another surge of anger boiling up inside of him, but it was only for himself, only for the life that he led.

_But right now I think I'll walk into a crawl…_

He finally made his way to Nepal, to find some clarity, and while he was there he was able to become enlightened, unfortunately his enlightenment had come with a price of his anger resurfacing once more for Angel. Maybe it was the fact that he knew that Angel was going where he wanted to be, where he had fought so hard for, and got there for being the good guy. When he arrived back in LA he had a plan, and that plan was to bring Angel down to his knees. He had everything planned, hiding from the Senior Partners, taking over Wolfram and Hart, everything was in order… That was until he met Eve, a woman who had enchanted him, intrigued him, and was one helluva looker. It only made sense that she'd be with him for it all, he had fallen and fallen hard.

_'Cause I've been hell on wheels for days now…There ain't a shade of red I can't paint…When the lights go down, she always helps me see._

Everything seemed so perfect, that was until Angel foiled his plans once more, once more that damn vampire had gotten the upper hand and he had been sent into a hell specifically created for him. Then… Angel saved him, freed him from that hell to give him the answers that he needed to save Fred, to help him. He was once again rejoined with Eve, and he saw that the only way to be free from that hell permanently, to be free from the evil Black Thorn, he would have to side with Angel. He truly believed that he could do it this time. He could do it, and he and Eve would be free. Maybe even start up a family, he only had to survive the upcoming fight.

_In the darkness a day will come…Another light for you to lean upon._

In the end however it wouldn't be a fairy tale for Lindsey, it wouldn't ever be a fairy tale. He had been killed by Angel's orders. Killed because he couldn't be trusted; which while he couldn't blame the vampire, it still angered him. But once again, death wasn't going to be final for Lindsey, and he'd be tortured with the proof of his past. Eve still in a coma, and Kaya who was the fruit that was born of his labors while being a lawyer, both just staring him right in the face and there was nothing he could do. Angel still didn't trust him, none of them did. He didn't see the point of jumping for his redemption when it dangled like a carrot. He didn't jump for anyone.

_But until then maybe your heart…Can rest in mine._

As he glanced around, shaken out of his reverie, he could have sworn someone had called his name. He had managed to walk into a small urban park, the ones that the Governor thought would beautify the city.

"Who's there?" He asked his voice faintly cracking.

"Awww, Lindsey. Are you nervous? You should be." A familiar voice came from behind him.

As Lindsey turned around, his jaw clenching as he knew that voice far too well. He could see a brunette woman standing there with a green scarf around her throat, and a matching Gucci suit. "Lilah… I'm not surprised."

--

_An Alley Seven Blocks South from the Hyperion Hotel_

_--_

"Guess we're going to be getting that fight after all t'night." Spike said as he glanced to Angel, ducking under the swing of a vampire, giving him a good shove towards the rest of the group as Angel followed suit.

"Looks like." Angel responded grimly, heading immediately towards the red faced demons that looked like the Hulk, but only with a different colour.

Connor, Gunn, Wesley, and Xander all stood steadfast, looking to the vampires that they were faced with. As two of them were shoved into the fray, Xander and Connor were the first ones to act, moving forward, catching them.

Connor smirked at his, drawing a confused look from his opponent. "You're a vampire, aren't you?" He asked in his all too innocent manner he'd gotten since his memories had been replaced. The vampire nodded dumbly. "I know just what to do with you." Connor said with a laugh, throwing the first punch and catching the shocked vampire in the jaw.

Xander didn't so much as catch his would-be hunter, as hip toss him to the ground, trying to stake him as soon as possible. The vampire thudded to the concrete floor of the alley, crossing his hands and holding Xander's stake at bay. The ugly faced minion grinning up at the one-eyed man and shoved him backwards, kipping to his feet.

The other two vampires hissed, baring their fangs and rushing the mirthful champion. "Un uh, I don't think so. Play fair fangs for brains!" Quipped Gunn as he ran forward to help out Connor, slamming his foot into the knee of one o f the vampires, making him kneel. The vampire looked up shocked, only to have his head whipped to the side by Gunn's meaty black fist.

Giles had separated from the fighting, and was taking in all the details; as was his very nature to do so. His main focus not on the vampires themselves, but the red faced demons, he could vaguely remember them, however without his books it would be almost useless.

Wesley having noticed that one of the new arrivals was not turning out so well, he began to head towards Xander and his vampire; the vampire surely having the upper hand. However, before he could reach them, he was attacked with a stinging blow to his face, Wesley's head snapping forward, as he felt himself burn with a strength that was not his own. He delivered a steady punch into the sternum of the vampire, sending him careening into an alley wall, and leaving a dent within the reddened bricks.

Giles looking on with a rather large surprised look on his face, his jaw gaping slowly.

Xander pushed the vampire off of him, only to see him be caught by Wesley's hand, who drove him back into the ground, before offering Xander a hand up. "Figured perhaps you could use some help. Are you all right?" Tugging the one-eyed man up onto his feet.

"Perfectly fine, other than for getting rescued by you. When did you learn how to do that?" Xander was awestruck.

"I was a rogue demon hunter after I left Sunnydale." In that ever so cocky tone of Wesley Wyndham Price, he smirked, as Xander pushed him out of the way, rather quickly, catching the Englishman off guard. Wesley turning in time to see Xander shoving a stake through the heart of a charging vampire.

"We're even now."

Within seconds, the ash filled the alley where the vampires had once stood.

However, Giles was watching, as his eyes went wide. "Oh bloody hell."

"Angel... I ah suggest that you-" Before Giles could finish his words; Angel was thrown into Wesley, Gunn, Connor, and Xander. "Go for the eyes." He finished with a sigh.

Spike was not having any easier of a time either. Every punch that he delivered seemed not to phase the red faced demons. With a yell of irritation, Spike lowered his head and sent himself careening into the demon, staggering back as he tried to shake the cobwebs from his skull, a hand coming up as he hissed in pain. "T'hell with this." Spike muttered as his face contorted to that of the beast that he always tried to keep at bay.

As Angel and the other four stood up slowly, Angel shook his head. "They were easier to kill last time."

"Last time, they were puppets." Wesley said with a dour affirmation.

Angel pulled out the small knife that he had been carrying with him and charged for the beast once more. Moving as quickly as he did, it was in mid stride that his own face changed; he ducked under what would have been a debilitating blow and stepped into the personal space of the "red hulk." As the red beast tried to attack once more, Angel raised the knife, and plunged it deep into the tender spot of the demon's eye. With a loud yowl of pain, the beast fell back, giving Angel the opportunity to attack.

Spike, however was not fairing so well. He had not heard the warning uttered by Giles, it was almost impossible it seemed. Every time he tried to punch the demon, it was countered, and every time the demon tried to punch Spike, he countered as well. "What is it with you?!" He yelled in frustration.

Xander would roll his good eye, reaching into his pocket, and tilted his head as he felt the small papery packets of salt and pepper that he had also brought along with the food. Perhaps fortunate for him, Xander had forgotten to hand them out as well.

"Spike! Here!" He would hand Spike a few of the packets while Spike had moved back towards the others.

"What do you want me to do, tenderize them? Hate to break it to you mate, but they're rather tough."

"Throw it at him, his eyes."

Spike threw the salt packet at the demon, and then threw his hands up. "It didn't do anything!"

Xander shook his head. "The salt, out of the packet."

As if a light bulb went off in Spike's head, he ripped open the salt packets, and as he got in close to the demon once more, he threw the salt into his face. The demon quickly putting his hands up to his eyes, as if to try and wipe out the crystal iodized granules that caused his eyes to burn and water.

"Brilliant!" Spike yelled as he then charged back to the demon.

As Angel and Spike now both had the upper hand, they made short work of killing the demons. Spike breaking the neck of his foe, while Angel stabbed the knife further into the eye socket of the red demon. Making sure that both were truly dead, they then turned to look at one another, then towards the rag tag crew that they had fought with that night.

"You have fought these demons before then I take it." Giles would say as he walked up to the rest of the men. "However, there is still something rather odd about all of this."

They all shared a look, before Spike blurted out, "Oh enough of the cliffhanger, what is it?" Impatient as always, at least there were some things that never changed.

"They didn't attack us out right, it was as if they were here to take their lumps." Wesley said, as if he were almost able to gleam into the thoughts of his old colleague.

"Exactly, they could have easily taken on all of you but didn't." Giles sighed lightly.

"Why? What's the point in them being here then, other than to die?" Connor asked, curiously, perhaps even confused.

"Because it was nothing more than a distraction. Dammit!" Gunn ran his hands over his bald head.

Before Gunn could even utter those words, Angel had turned and was using his cellphone to dial the Hyperion.

--

_Hyperion Hotel Lobby_

--

"Angel, what is it?" Willow asked as she answered the phone, her fingers crossed, her breath held in hopes that it wasn't bad news.

"No, no one's here, everything's all right. I've been keeping an eye on things. What is it?" Willow asked a second time, this time with more insistance.

As the words entered into Willow's ear, she fell heavily into the chair that had been thankfully behind her. "I understand. Right, I'll... make sure everything is all right. I... You... You just be safe." As Willow hung up the phone, she raised her head to look at Lorne.

"Her Watcher is dead. It was a trap of some sort." The features of the Witch paled, as Lorne put a hand up to his face in disbelief. "Kaya's gone, they're bringing back his body for burial." Even as she said those words, tears rolled down her cheeks. She had not known the man, but every time something horrible happened, Willow believed it was her fault.

Lorne, Willow, and Andrew sat there quietly, looking to one another. Tonight there had been plans to bring another home. To perhaps start healing the wounds and finding out what could be in store next. Tonight however, they would indeed bring another home. To be put to eternal rest.

--

_Somewhere in LA_

_--_

"Aww is that any way to greet an old friend Lindsey? I mean we've always been the closest of friends. All the times you tried to kill me, set me up for failure, and leave me to clean up your messes. I'd say we're the best friends ever." Lilah's lips turned into the cold cynical smile that she had always had. Death could not even soften the woman's remorse.

"What is it you want Lilah?" He growled the words out, as Lindsey's cold eyes would look to her, an anger rolling off of him like waves.

"Oh testy! Well, I just figured we should catch up a little bit before you and the rest of the goodie two shoes die. I mean, with the hell that's prepared for you, we won't have time afterwards." Grinning, she walked towards Lindsey. "Oh now don't look so glum chum, we'll make sure that you're at least well taken care of. You know Wolfram and Hart as well as the Senior Partners, we look out for our own."

Lindsey swung at Lilah, however he was unable to touch her, his hand went right through her. "I'm nothing like you!" His voice echoed through the park, his chest heaving in anger. "I'm NOTHING like them!" His words rung true in his ears, however he as he tried to get his point across to his ex-colleague, he tried to also get the point across to himself.

"No? Really?" Lilah smirked gently, shaking her head as she bit her bottom lip gently. "I don't think so Lindsey. You got a second shot at life, and hey I'm happy for you. But we both know that power and greed is all that fills that black heart of yours. Why I doubt you even love that pathetic little Eve. By the way... How is she?"

Lindsey stared at Lilah a moment with absolute disgust and hatred. Her words cutting deeply, but he refused to let her know it, he refused to let her see the pain that those words brought forth. "She's not any of your concern."

Lilah smirked. "No, she's not my concern at all... She's yours."

Lilah turned and began to walk away, disappearing into the darkness as if she had never been there.

Lindsey stared at the spot where she had once been. Raising his hand, he ran it through his hair, tugging at it as if to try and bring back rational thought. He had no idea what was going on. The only thing he knew that that the afterlife had not been kind to Lilah Morgan, in fact, it seemed as if she had turned into much more of a cold bitch.

----

_The world wasn't a very giving place for a Champion. With every single victory and win, the losses were always high; leaving the bittersweet aftertaste. Loss was something that was not new to any of them. The loss of friendship, love, life, hope, and even themselves weighed upon their shoulders like Atlas who carried the world. Never truly belonging to the world in which they were destined to protect, and never truly able to find peace. Some may say that it's a great thing to be a Champion, but these champions... These champions could say otherwise. _

_They stand upon the dawn of a new battle, one that none were prepared to face. Being forced to face their own failures, their own losses; this is what the Senior Partners and the forces of evil wanted for these beings. To break them so slowly, they would never know what hit them. In the coming hours, coming days, it would truly be a test of strength. _

_The darkness was getting closer. Their light was slowly diminishing. The end was no where in sight, the chaos only becoming stronger._

* * *

_Song: The Darkness by Kane (Lead singer: Christian Kane (Woot)_


End file.
